Five Years Follow-Up Outcomes of Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery on Patients with Preexisting Corneal Astigmatism.

Purpose: Evaluating the long-term clinical efficacy and safety of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery for correcting corneal astigmatism.

Patients and methods: In this cohort study on follow-up records from preoperative, postoperative 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, thirty-four eyes with cataract and corneal astigmatism (>0.50D) were treated with corneal arcuate incisions and femtosecond-laser assisted cataract surgery in Vietnam National Eye Hospital, from January 2017 to February 2023.

Results: The rate of postoperative refraction spherical equivalent was within ± 0.50D and ± 1.0D at 3 months (in 91.2% and 100% of the eyes, respectively). The average of preoperative corneal astigmatism was 1.63 ± 0.886D, decreased to 0.53 ± 0.628D in the third month after surgery and stable to 5 years. Surgically induced astigmatism was 1.09 ± 0.413D, which indicated under-correction. However, no complications were recorded.

Conclusion: The femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery is safe and long effective in correcting the corneal astigmatism in patients with preexisting corneal astigmatism.