LRI

Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRIs)

Limbal Relaxing Incisions, or LRIs, are partial thickness corneal incisions strategically placed to reduce or eliminate pre-existing astigmatism during cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange surgery. Astigmatism refers to corneal curvature that is elongated or flatter in one axis, and shortened or steeper in the opposite axis. This causes distortion and blurring of images. With presice measurements and marking of the eye prior to surgery, an incision is fashioned at limbus (the junction between the corneal and sclera) in the axis of steepest curvature, thereby “relaxing” that axis and leaving the corneal in a more round shape. This helps the patients to see more clearly after surgery and can reduce or eliminate the need for distance glasses. The procedure is virtually painless and can be easily incorporated into the state-of-the-art techniques our surgeons use for cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange surgery.