Refractive outcomes after arcuate keratotomy using the Terry astigmatome

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the refractive outcomes after arcuate keratotomy for astigmatism. Setting: Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Bursa, Turkey. Method. Sixteen eyes of 11 patients with astigmatism had arcuate keratotomy using the Terry astigmatome. The mean age of the patients was 36 years +/- 10 (SD). All patients received preoperative and postoperative ophthalmic examinations consisting of best spectacle-corrected (BSCVA) and uncorrected (UCVA) visual acuities, corneal topography, and ultrasonic pachymetry. Surgery was performed using topical anesthesia of oxybuprocaine 0.1% eyedrops. The Terry astigmatome was selected by the mean paracentral (estimated incision area) corneal thickness. All patients received topical ofloxacin 0.3% and topical diclofenac 0.1% eyedrops postoperatively. Results: The mean corneal astigmatism was -4.0 +/- 1.1 diopters (D) (range -2.2 to -6.0 D) preoperatively and -1.8 +/- 0.8 D (range -0.6 to -3.0 D) postoperatively. The mean surgically induced corneal astigmatism was 2.5 +/- 0.6 D. The mean UCVA (logMAR) was 0.74 +/- 0.25 preoperatively and 0.18 +/- 0.23 1 week postoperatively, and the mean BSCVA (logMAR) was 0.19 +/- 0.24 and 0.19 +/- 0.23, respectively. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Conclusion: Arcuate keratotomy using the Terry astigmatome was a safe and reliable treatment for corneal astigmatism.