Cataract and Lens Surgery: How to Battle Astigmatism

Cataract surgery in the modern era has morphed into a form of refractive surgery with major advances in intraocular lens technology and design leading to many patients seeking reduced spectacle dependence after surgery. The continued evolution of cataract surgery has led to improved outcomes but also elevated patient expectations. Correction of astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery is an important piece of meeting those patients’ expectations and providing favorable outcomes with a number of studies highlighting the impact of residual astigmatism on uncorrected visual acuity [1, 2]. Further, our understanding of corneal astigmatism has evolved considerably over the last decade, which led to improved techniques, formulae, and astigmatic correction decision-making.