BackgroundTo evaluate procedure times for two cataract planning systems (ZEISS CALLISTO eye and the Wavetec AnalyzOR) in predicting residual astigmatism (prediction error) and other visual outcomes in patients with corneal astigmatism (maximum allowable up to 3.0D) at postoperative month 1.MethodsThis was a prospective, single center, parallel treatment group, bilateral and unilateral, randomized, 1-month study on patients scheduled to undergo routine, small-incision cataract surgery with a toric intraocular lens implantation. Both groups underwent preop measurements with the IOLMaster 700 (Zeiss, Jena, Germany) and surgery with the LenSx device (Alcon). Lens selection in the CALLISTO eye group was based on Zeiss VERACITY Surgery Planner (a web-based tool) and on the Wavetec AnalyzOR component of the ORA system (a real-time intraoperative aberrometer) for those eyes in the ORA group. All procedure and intraoperative times were measured with a stopwatch. Postoperative visual outcomes were evaluated between 1 and 2 months after surgery.ResultsThere were 23 eyes in the CALLISTO group and 28 eyes in the ORA group. The mean surgical time for the CALLISTO group was 28.09 ± 1.72 min compared to 34.41 ± 1.52 min for the ORA group (P = 0.01). Toric lens placement mean time in the CALLISTO group was 2.47 ± 0.34 min compared to 3.88 ± 0.29 min in the ORA group (P = 0.0034). At month 1 postoperatively, the manifest refractive spherical error (MRSE) in the CALLISTO eye group 0.022 ± 0.388 diopters (D) compared to -0.174 ± 0.322 D in the ORA group; these were not statistically different. There was a higher percentage (75%) of eyes with an MRSE within 0.25D in the ORA group compared to the CALLISTO eye group (56.5%); at all other levels outcomes were numerically higher in the CALLISTO eye group.ConclusionsLess surgical time was needed when using the CALLISTO eye than the ORA when performing cataract surgery with toric lens implantation. There were similar visual outcomes between the groups and no statistical differences.