Impact of nuclear cataract density on postoperative refractive outcome: IOL Master versus ultrasound.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of cataract density on the postoperative refractive outcome.


METHODS
For 59 nuclear cataract eyes, the axial length was preoperatively measured by the IOL Master (Zeiss, Germany) and ultrasound (US; UD-6000, Tomey, Japan) and the cataract density by EAS-1000 (Nidek, Japan). The prediction error was used as evaluation of the accuracy of ocular biometry.


RESULTS
There were significant differences between IOL Master and US in the mean error (0.24 +/- 0.63 vs. 0.69 +/- 0.64 dpt, p < 0.001) and the mean absolute error (0.57 +/- 0.36 vs. 0.79 +/- 0.53 dpt, p < 0.001). The cataract density was significantly correlated with the prediction error with IOL Master (r = 0.24, p = 0.03) and US (r = 0.29, p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Measurements with the IOL Master are slightly affected by the cataract density due to the refractive index change, but its accuracy is less affected than US.
Ueda
Tetsuo
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan. tueda@naramed-u.ac.jp
Taketani
Futoshi
F
Ota
Takeo
T
Hara
Yoshiaki
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D006801:Humans; D007907:Lens Nucleus, Crystalline; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D014463:Ultrasonography