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

Purpose: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: Interrupted sutures cause less astigmatism than continuous suture. The factors responsible for high astigmatism in continuous sutures call for further analysis.