AIM: To evaluate the clinical therapeutic effects of senile cataract on phacoemulsification and small incision cataract surgery and the influence of corneal endothelium.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed in 296 cases of senile cataract in our hospital from Jan. 2009 to Jan. 2013 in the "Cataract extraction project". One hundred and forty cases underwent phacoemulsification treatment, whereas 156 cases received small incision extracapsular cataract extraction. The therapeutic efficacy and effects on corneal endothelial cells of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS: After 3d operation, the visual acuity and corneal astigmatism in phacoemulsification group were much better than that in small incision cataract surgery group(P<0.05), and the two groups were statistically significant differences before operation(P<0.05). However, after 1 and 3mo, the acuity, astigmatism and preoperative and postoperative complications had no significant differences(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Both phacoemulsification and small incision extracapsular cataract extraction are effective methods of treatment of cataract. However, the method of small incision cataract surgery is more economic, and it is valuable in primary hospital and the “Cataract extraction project”.