Post-operative astigmatism with continuous and interrupted Sutures in Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Background: Cataract surgery has undergone revolutionary changes but the traditional extra-capsular cataract extraction is still practiced in the developing countries. The type of suture may greatly affect the outcome in terms of astigmatism. This study was conducted to compare the post-operative astigmatism using continuous versus interrupted sutures.

Material & Methods: This study was conducted in Ophthalmology Department, KUST Institute of Medical Sciences, Kohat, from January 2006 to June 2007. Two hundred patients were divided into two equal groups A and B. Group A patients had continuous 10/0 nylon sutures following extra-capsular cataract extraction whereas Group B had four interrupted sutures.

Results: Keratometric astigmatism in Group A patients was significantly higher (2.96+0.15D) as compared to Group B (1.70+0.73D) at six months post-operatively (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Interrupted sutures cause less astigmatism after extra-capsular cataract extraction than continuous sutures.