Influence of different length corneal limbal incisions on the anterior and posterior corneal high order aberrations after phacoemulsification

Objective To study the effect of limbal incision with 2.2mm and 3.0mrn of phacoemulsification surgery on the optical high order aberrations (HOA) of the cornea measured with pentacam.Methods It was a prospective case series study.Fifty-five eyes of 33 patients were divided into 2.2mm group and 3.0mm group based on the size of limbal incision.HOAs of the anterior and posterior surface of comea were measured by pentacam before and after 3 months of phacoemulsification surgery.HOAs included the total high order aberration (tHOA),spherical aberration (SA),coma,trefoil,four-leaf clover and secondary astigmatism.Independent samples group t test were conducted to compare the difference of HOA between the two groups.Results The HOAs of the anterior surface was not statistically significant between 3.0mm group and 2.2mm group.The HOA of posterior surface increased from a mean of (0.186±0.036)μm preoperatively to (-0.128±0.036)μm postoperatively in 3.0 group.The increase was statistically difference (P =0.046).The HOA of posterior surface increased fiom a mean of (-0.128±0.036)μm preoperatively to (-0.157±0.025)μm postoperatively in 2.2 group.The increase was statistically difference (P =0.043).The changes of other HOAs and HOAs caused by surgery were no significant differences.Conclusions HOA of anterior surface,as well as caused by surgery are not significant different between 2.2mm group and 3.0mm group.There are significant differences in HOA of posterior surface between 2.2mm group and 3.0mm group.However,whether it is a factor to induce disparity of visual acuity needs to be further investigated. Key words: Cornea;  Refraction;  Ocular;  Phacoemulsification;  Posterior surface