Analysis of changes in corneal shape and refraction following scleral buckling surgery.

PURPOSE: A prospective study was performed to investigate changes in corneal shape and axial length following scleral buckling surgery.

METHODS: We investigated the changes in corneal shape, refraction, and axial length following scleral buckling surgery in 24 patients who underwent local buckling and 14 patients who underwent encircling with additional segmental buckling. The corneal shape was determined by corneal topography and autokeratometry, refraction was measured by autorefractometry, and axial length was measured by A-mode ultrasonography before surgery, and 1, 2, and 7 days, and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS: After local buckling, the axial length shortened and a hyperopic change was observed. After encircling with additional segmental buckling, the axial length elongated and a myopic shift was detected. The direction of the surgically induced corneal astigmatic vectors was almost identical to the direction of the buckle. There was a tendency for shorter distances between the limbus and the buckle to be associated with greater absolute values. Astigmatism gradually decreased following surgery and stabilized in about 3 months.

CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons should select a surgical procedure to ensure favorable postoperative visual acuity while minimizing changes in the shape of the cornea.