Cataract surgery is one of the most common ophthalmic procedures and significantly improves visual
acuity. However, it can alter corneal curvature, leading to surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), which
may affect uncorrected post-operative vision. This study assessed the magnitude of induced corneal
cylinder and its relationship with age and sex among cataract patients at Marist Cottage Hospital,
Uturu, Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State. 190 eyes of patients who underwent small incision cataract surgery
between March 2024 and April 2025. Pre- and post-operative keratometry readings (K1 and K2) were
obtained using an autorefractor-keratometer. Induced corneal cylinder was calculated from astigmatic
differences. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Age and sex variations were evaluated, and
statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.The overall mean pre-operative K1 and K2 were 43.17 ±
1.72 D and 43.24 ± 1.54 D, increasing slightly post-operatively to 43.41 ± 1.67 D and 43.36 ± 1.45
D, respectively. The mean induced cylinder was 0.43 ± 0.73 D. Patients aged 40–50 years had the
highest induced astigmatism (0.72 ± 0.99 D), while those over 90 had the lowest (0.02 ± 0.03 D),
though age differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.72). Male patients showed significantly
higher induced astigmatism (0.50 ± 0.81 D) than females (0.34 ± 0.60 D) with a p-value of 0.001.Small
incision cataract surgery at Marist Cottage Hospital resulted in minimal induced corneal astigmatism.
While age showed no significant impact, sex had a statistically significant effect. These findings support
surgical planning and better visual outcomes for patients.
