OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs) for correcting corneal astigmatism during cataract surgery. METHODS Cullen Eye Institute, Houston, Texas, USA. METHODS In 12 eyes of 11 patients, cataract surgery was combined with LRIs. The LRIs were made according to a modified Gills nomogram and were based on preoperative corneal astigmatism determined with standard keratometry and computerized videokeratography (EyeSys Corneal Analysis System Version 3.2). RESULTS The mean preoperative keratometric cylinder was 2.46 +/- 0.81 diopters (D). At 1 month postoperatively, mean arithmetic reduction in keratometric cylinder was 1.12 +/- 0.74 D, and the with-the-wound (WTW) change (calculated by Holladay, Cravy, Koch vector analysis formula) was -0.70 +/- 0.44. From 1 day to 1 month postoperatively, there was 0.55 D of WTW regression with minimal change in the mean cylindrical axis. There were no overcorrections. CONCLUSIONS Limbal relaxing incisions are a practical, simple, and forgiving approach to the correction of astigmatism during cataract surgery.