E u ropean Journal of Ophthalmology / Vol. 16 no. 4, 2006 / pp. 5 3 6- 5 4 1 1 1 2 0 - 6 7 2 1 /5 3 6- 0 6 $ 1 5 . 0 0 / 0 © Wichtig Editore, 2006 C o rneal topographic changes after scleral buckling F. KARIMIAN 1 , S. MORADIAN 2 , S. YAZ D AN I 3 , A. MASHAY E K H Y 2 , A. ANISIAN 4 , N. KOUHESTAN I 4 Department of Ophthalmology, Labbafinejad Medical Center (LMC), Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran - Iran INTRODUCTION Retinal detachment (RD), with a yearly incidence of 1 per 10,000 persons (1), is a potentially blinding ocular dis- order if left untreated (2). With the recently improved rates of anatomic success with scleral buckling (SB) proce- dures, more attention has been paid to improve postoper- ative quality of vision (3). It has already been shown that SB results in corneal de - formation and induction of astigmatism. There are many reports of high astigmatism following scleral buckling leading to decreased visual acuity and metamorphopsia. This astigmatism may not be tolerable for the patient even with spectacle correction. Some authors believe the induced astigmatism is mild, transient, and of no clinical significance; however, it may be PU R P O S E. To evaluate corneal topographic changes and induced corneal astigmatism after scleral buckling (SB). ME T H O D S. This interventional case series includes all patients who had undergone scleral buckling for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) during a 1-year period. Patients w e re divided into four groups according to type and extent of scleral buckling which de- pended on the discretion of a retina specialist. Videokeratography was performed for all patients preoperatively and repeated 1 and 3 months after SB. RE S U LT S. Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients (29 male, 74.7%) with mean age of 50.35±20 years (range 13–80) were finally analyzed. There was no statistically significant difference among the groups in terms of preoperative corneal astigmatism, surface regularity index (SRI), sur- face asymmetry index (SAI), mean keratometry (mean K), and potential visual acuity (PVA) . Overall, preoperative mean K was 43.97±1.78 D, which reached 44.2±2.02 D and 43.92±2.16 D 1 and 3 months after the operation. Mean preoperative SRI was 0.58±0.4, which incre a s e d to 1.24±1.18 and 1.29±1.13 1 and 3 months after the operation re s p e c t i v e l y. Mean pre o p e r- ative SAI was 0.39±0.21, which increased to 0.73±0.37 and 0.75±0.66 1 and 3 months after the procedure. Changes in SAI at 1 and 3 months following SB were significant (p values < 0.001); however, these postoperative values were not significantly different. Mean pre o p e r a- tive PVA was 0.07±0.75 logMAR (equivalent to 20/20) but decreased to 0.24±0.25 (equiva- lent to 20/30) and 0.27±0.29 (equivalent to 20/40) 1 and 3 months after SB, re s p e c t i v e l y. CO N C L U S I O N S. Significant changes in corneal topographic indices including increases in SRI and SAI and a concomitant decrease in PVA may occur after SB procedures. These induced changes must be considered and appropriately addressed postoperatively to provide the best possible corrected vision. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2006; 16: 5 3 6- 4 1 ) KE Y WO R D S. Scleral buckling, Corneal topography, Mean keratometry, Surface regularity in- dex, Surface asymmetry index Accepted: February 5, 2006