Long-term changes in intraocular lens position and corneal curvature after cataract surgery and their effect on refraction

Purpose: Achieving the desired post-operative refraction in cataract surgery requires accurate calculations for intraocular lens (IOL) power. Latest-generation formulae use anterior-chamber depth (ACD)—the distance from the corneal apex to the anterior surface of the lens—as one of the parameters to predict the post-operative IOL position within the eye, termed the effective lens position (ELP). Significant discrepancies between predicted and actual ELP result in refractive surprise. This study aims to improve the predictability of ELP. We hypothesise that predictions based on the distance from the corneal apex to the mid-sagittal plane of the cataractous lens would more accurately reflect the position of the principal plane of the non-angulated IOL within the capsular bag. Accordingly, we propose that predictions derived from ACD + ½LT (length thickness) would be superior to those from ACD alone. Design: Retrospective cohort study, comparing ELP predictions derived from ACD to aproposed prediction parameter. Method: This retrospective study includes data from 162 consecutive cataract surgery cases, with posterior-chamber IOL (AlconSN60WF) implantation. Pre- and postoperative biometric measurements were made using the IOLMaster700 (ZEISS, Jena, Germany). The accuracy and reliability of ELP predictions derived from ACD and ACD + ½LT were compared using software-aided analyses. Results: An overall reduction in average ELP prediction error (PEELP) was achieved using the proposed parameter (root-mean-square-error [RMSE] = 0.50 mm), compared to ACD (RMSE = 1.57 mm). The mean percentage PEELP, comparing between eyes of different axial lengths, was 9.88% ± 3.48% and −34.9% ± 4.79% for predictions derived from ACD + ½LT and ACD, respectively. A 44.10% ± 5.22% mean of differences was observed (p < 0.001). Conclusion: ACD + ½LT predicts ELP with greater accuracy and reliability than ACD alone; its use in IOL power calculation formulae may improve refractive outcomes.

Download Full-text

Long-term changes in the refractive effect of a toric intraocular lens on astigmatism correction

Graefe s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology ◽

10.1007/s00417-021-05406-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ken Hayashi ◽

Motoaki Yoshida ◽

Shunsuke Hayashi ◽

Akira Hirata

Keyword(s):

Intraocular Lens ◽

Marked Change ◽

Corneal Astigmatism ◽

Toric Intraocular Lens ◽

Toric Iol ◽

Time Points ◽

Astigmatism Correction ◽

Ocular Residual Astigmatism ◽

Long Term Changes

Abstract Purpose To examine the long-term changes in the astigmatism-correcting effect of a toric intraocular lens (IOL) after stabilization of surgically induced astigmatic changes due to cataract surgery. Methods Unilateral eyes of 120 patients that received a toric IOL for against-the-rule (ATR) or with-the-rule (WTR) astigmatism were enrolled. Manifest refractive and anterior corneal astigmatism, and ocular residual astigmatism which is mainly derived from internal optics were examined preoperatively, at approximately 2 months postoperatively (baseline) and at 5 ~ 10 years postbaseline. The astigmatism was decomposed to vertical/horizontal (Rx) and oblique components (Ry), which was compared between baseline and 5 ~ 10 years postbaseline. Results In the eyes having ATR astigmatism, the mean Rx and Ry of the manifest refractive and corneal astigmatism significantly changed toward ATR astigmatism between the baseline and 5 ~ 10 years postbaseline (p ≤ 0.0304), but those of ocular residual astigmatism did not change significantly between the 2 time points. In the eyes having WTR astigmatism, the Rx and Ry of refractive, corneal, and ocular residual astigmatism did not change significantly between the 2 time points. Double-angle plots revealed an ATR shift in refractive and corneal astigmatism and no marked change in the ocular residual astigmatism in the eyes with ATR astigmatism, and there is no change in this astigmatism in the eyes with WTR astigmatism. Conclusion The long-term changes with age in the effect of a toric IOL significantly deteriorated due to an ATR shift of corneal astigmatism in the eyes having ATR astigmatism, while it was maintained in eyes having WTR astigmatism, suggesting that ATR astigmatism should be overcorrected.

Download Full-text