[Relation between preoperative and late postoperative keratometry].

The authors in their work compare corneal astigmatism before cataract surgery and the late postoperative corneal astigmatism (min. 18 months after surgery). ECCE was done with IOL implantation with a limbal approach and the wound was sutured with 5-6 single interrupted sutures. Two months after the surgery all sutures were removed in astigmatism with the rule higher than 3.0 D. The average value of the corneal astigmatism with the rule before surgery was 0.42 +/- 1.19 D and late postoperative astigmatism against the rule was 0.19 +/- 1.18 D. 43 eyes (69.4%) had the difference between preoperative and late postoperative corneal astigmatism less than 1.5 D. 19 eyes (30.6%) had the difference higher than 1.5 D. 12 eyes (19.4%) had postoperative corneal astigmatism against the rule higher than 1.5 D. We have found positive correlation between preoperative and postoperative values (P < 0.001) and an important difference was found between preoperative and postoperative corneal astigmatism (0.001 < P < 0.01). Authors recommend not to use biodegraded sutures, to make tight closure of the internal aspect of the wound, to use interrupted sutures, to remove sutures 3-5 months after surgery in high astigmatism with the rule and carefully evaluate the number of removed stitches so that the corneal astigmatism against the rule will not appear.