Does cataract surgery change the astigmatism?
Large incisions and sutures can cause unwanted changes to the natural corneal shape. Thus, large incision cataract surgery usually worsens corneal astigmatism, and represents another advantage of sutureless, small incision techniques. Unlike eyeglasses, standard intraocular lens implants do not correct astigmatism. Because they are placed inside the eye, they do not alter or improve the shape of the cornea. Differences in one2s astigmatism can explain why some patients see better without glasses than others following cataract surgery. While no one can see optimally at all distances (far, intermediate, or close-up) without glasses after cataract surgery, most patients want decent distance vision without glasses. For this to occur, the amount of blur caused by astigmatism must be minimal.
