Effects of small incision cataract surgery and routine ultrasonic phacoemulsification on vision recovery, anterior segment parameters and corneal regularity

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of minor incision cataract surgery (SICS) and routine ultrasonic phacoemulsification (PHACO) on vision recovery, anterior segment parameters and corneal regularity.MethodsNinety-two age-related cataract patients (100 eyes) were prospectively selected from January 2017 to December 2019. Fifty cases (50 eyes) were treated with SICS, while the remaining 42 cases (50 eyes) underwent PHACO. Their post-operative visual acuity, central corneal thickness (CCT), endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation and proportion of hexagonal cells were compared.ResultsCCT was more extensive in the two groups one week after the operation than before, while it returned to the pre-operative level 6 weeks after. Compared with before the operation, CCT had a significant difference in the two groups one week after the operation (P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no significant difference six weeks after the operation (P > 0.05). CCT had a substantial difference between the two groups 1-week after operation (P < 0.05). The endothelial cell density had a significant difference in PHACO group 1 and 6 weeks after operation compared to before (P < 0.01). In contrast, the two groups had no significant difference at each time point before and after operation (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the coefficient of corneal endothelial cell area variation or proportion of hexagonal cells between the two groups at each time point (P > 0.05).ConclusionsSICS and PHACO have comparable clinical effects. For patients with senile hard-nucleus cataracts, SICS is characterised by fewer surgical complications.