Long-term astigmatic changes after phacoemulsification with single-stitch, horizontal suture closure.

We analyzed postoperative corneal astigmatism in 32 eyes followed for three years after small incision phacoemulsification with a 4 mm scleral tunnel incision and a single-stitch, horizontal suture technique. Sutures were left intact postoperatively. Mean surgically induced cylinder was 0.63 diopters (D) at one day postoperatively, -0.01 D at one year, and -0.07 D at three years. A significant number of eyes showed an initial shift toward with-the-rule astigmatism. At one year, the axis had nearly returned to preoperative orientation without further against-the-rule shift after three years. An uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better was found in 43.8% of the patients at one week postoperatively and in 62.5% at one and three years. Best corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better was found in 62.5%, 90.6%, and 93.7%, respectively.