Incidence of Astigmatism in a Cataract Practice

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Astigmatism represents a unique form of refractive error, in that it is often undercor reeled and unsuspected. We present keratometric and refractive astigmatism dafa on 747 consecutive patients scheduled for cataract surgery. Average preoperative astigmatism in diopters was 1,22 ± 1,33 [keratometric), 0,81 ± 0.81 (manifest), while 10-week and 1-year postoperative values were 0.87 + 0,64 (manifest) and 0.62 ± 0.68 (manifest). In this paper we show that astigmatism is primarily corneal In origin in the human eye and that there is a statistical variation in age with a progressive increase in absolute amount and change to againstthe-rule astigmatism In the older cataract patient.