Type of residual astigmatism and uncorrected visual acuity in pseudophakic eyes

It is difficult to assess the pure impact of the type of residual astigmatism (with-the-rule; WTR, against-the-rule; ATR, and oblique astigmatism) on uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) in pseudophakic eyes due to different age distribution of patients between those subgroups. We conducted the current study to investigate the association between astigmatism type and UDVA in eyes after cataract surgery with consideration for various confounding factors such as age. Data were retrospectively collected from 1535 pseudophakic eyes with corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 20/20 or better, and spherical equivalent between − 0.125 D and 0.0 D. They were classified based on the pattern of residual refractive astigmatism into four groups; minimum astigmatism (< 0.5 D), WTR, ATR, and oblique astigmatism groups. The stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that the magnitude of residual refractive astigmatism (standardized partial regression coefficient β = 0.559, p < 0.001), CDVA (β = 0.381, p < 0.001), minimum astigmatism group (β = − 0.188, p < 0.001), and WTR astigmatism group (β = − 0.058, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with UDVA (r(2) = 0.795). Variables excluded from the multivariate regression model include age, preoperative corneal astigmatism, axial length, anterior chamber depth, intraocular lens power, and postoperative spherical equivalent. These results indicate that UDVA is significantly better in eyes with minimum and WTR astigmatism than in those with ATR and oblique astigmatism, after adjustment for confounding parameters. In pseudophakic eyes, oblique and ATR astigmatism exerts a greater impact on UDVA than WTR astigmatism does, even after controlling for age.