Corneal surgically induced astigmatism in resident surgeons

Abstract

To evaluate surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) in resident surgeons in their first year of performing cataract surgery, a retrospective study was conducted involving three resident physicians from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. Preoperative and postoperative corneal measurements were taken with the IOLMaster 500 and Pentacam. Mean SIA and centroid were determined with the Koch-Wang Excel spreadsheet. A total of 135 eyes were operated on, with Resident A performing 67 surgeries; Resident B, 60 surgeries; and Resident C, 8 surgeries. Resident A's IOLMaster results revealed centroid values of 0.08 D @ 91° ± 0.37 diopters (D) and 0.16D @ 82° ± 0.32D and Pentacam centroid values of 0.13D @ 100° ± 0.34D and 0.24D @ 93° ± 0.38D for right and left eyes, respectively. Resident B's IOLMaster results revealed centroid values of 0.23D @ 102° ± 0.23D and 0.29D @ 110° ± 0.26D and Pentacam centroid values of 0.21D @ 124° ± 0.33D and 0.17D @ 103° ± 0.51D for right and left eyes, respectively. In conclusion, centroid values of SIA with junior surgeons were more than the proposed established values, but likely not clinically significant, with at most a difference of <0.17D in the spectacle plane. To achieve more accurate refractive outcomes in toric intraocular lenses, all residents should calculate their personal SIA early in their surgical career.

Keywords: Cataract surgery; centroid; surgically induced astigmatism.

Figure 1.

Resident A double angle plot of centroid values and mean surgically induced astigmatism for both eyes from the IOLMaster 500.

Figure 2.

Resident B double-angle plot of centroid values and mean surgically induced astigmatism for both eyes from the IOLMaster 500.