To compare the safety and efficacy of cataract surgery using nasal clear corneal incision (CCI) versus superior or temporal CCIs in Korean patients.

A retrospective comparative study was conducted. Patients underwent cataract surgery using CCI performed by 3 surgeons between January 2012 and December 2013.The patients were divided into the following 3 groups based on CCI direction: nasal CCIs (group I), superior CCIs (Group II), and temporal CCIs (Group III). To assess usability, surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), keratometry reading, and refractive errors at baseline and 1 month after surgery were compared. Operation times were compared between groups. To assess safety, intraoperative complications and wound stability were compared.

A total of 1,374 eyes (Group I, 283 eyes; Group II, 587 eyes; Group III, 504 eyes) were included in the present study. The SIA was not significantly different among the 3 groups. The postoperative mean BCVA, IOP, keratometry reading and spherical equivalent as well as the mean operation times were not significantly different between the 3 groups (14.04 ± 3.79 vs. 13.80 ± 3.27 vs. 13.80 ± 3.70; p = 0.473). The rate of intraocular complications and incidence of corneal wound suture were not significantly different between the 3 groups (1.7% vs. 3.2% vs. 2.3%; p = 0.378).

The safety and efficacy of cataract surgery using nasal CCI were not significantly different compared with the use of temporal or superior CCI. Our results showed that cataract surgery using nasal CCI can be performed safely and conveniently in Korean patients.