Keratometric astigmatism after ECCE in eastern Nepal. Continuous versus interrupted sutures

The study aimed to compute and compare the keratometric astigmatism induced by wound closure with continuous and interrupted sutures in conventional extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation at a single centre in eastern Nepal. Sixty eyes of 60 patients were included in the study. All patients received conventional extracapsular cataract extraction and single piece modified C-loop posterior chamber intraocular lens. Thirty eyes were sutured with continuous (Group 1) and 30 eyes with interrupted sutures (Group 2). The results were analysed by the unpaired student's t-test. At the end of 6 weeks, Group 1 patients had significantly higher astigmatism (3.53 +/- 2.19D) compared to Group 2 patients (1.7 +/- 1.35). A majority of patients in both groups had with-the-rule astigmatism throughout the postoperative period. Interrupted sutures cause less astigmatism than continuous suture. The factors responsible for high astigmatism in continuous sutures call for further analysis.