No-stitch, small incision cataract surgery with flexible intraocular lens implantation.

Small incision cataract surgery has several advantages over conventional surgery, including faster postoperative visual rehabilitation. We evaluated 100 consecutive cases of no-stitch, small incision surgery with a square sclerocorneal tunnel and a flexible intraocular lens. Permanent self-sealing of the wound seemed to increase intraoperative safety considerably. With the specific incision used, corneal trauma and irrigation fluid outflow were minimal. Refraction and K-readings stabilized within the first postoperative week, which is when most eyes attained best final visual acuity. No early peak or protracted drift of astigmatism occurred. Minimally leaking wounds in three eyes were left unsutured; a transient filtering bleb was observed in two of these eyes after resorption of an intracameral air bubble. Our results support the theoretical concept and justify the use of no-stitch, small incision surgery.