title: Anterior chamber depth studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the anterior chamber depth (ACD; corneal epithelium to lens) using 3 modalities and compare the change 1 day and 3 months postoperatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private practice, Santa Monica, California, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nonrandomized prospective series.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mean optical pachymetry and immersion ultrasound (US) of the ACD and partial coherence interferometry (PCI) were measured. Optical pachymetry ACD was measured in 675 eyes postoperatively at 1 day and 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The optical pachymetry ACD in 492 eyes was 3.17 mm ± 0.42 (SD); by immersion US, it was 2.99 ± 0.51 mm (0.18 mm deeper; P < .0001). In 178 eyes, the optical pachymetry ACD was 3.23 ± 0.45 mm; the PCI was 3.19 ± 0.48 mm (0.04 mm deeper), which was not statistically different (P > .05). In 675 eyes, optical pachymetry ACD preoperatively was 3.19 ± 0.40 mm. The postoperative 1-day optical pachymetry ACD was 4.35 ± 0.35 mm with a mean refractive error of -0.30 diopter (D); the final 3-month optical pachymetry ACD was 4.47 ± 0.31 mm, with a mean refractive error of -0.07 D (P < .0001). This is a mean intraocular lens (IOL) position shift of +0.12 mm posteriorly; the +0.23 D change represents a ratio of 1.92 D/mm of IOL axial movement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PCI ACD was comparable with optical pachymetry, but careful immersion US led to a 0.18 mm shorter ACD reading that cannot be corrected by sound velocity. The posterior capsule contracted and moved the IOL posteriorly 0.12 mm, resulting in 0.23 D hyperopic shift.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Dr. Hoffer owns the registered trademark name "Hoffer(®)" and receives royalties for its commercial use from Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Appasamy Associates, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, DGH Technology, Inc., Ellex iScience, Inc., Haag-Streit AG, Nidek Co., Ltd., Tomey Corp., Topcon Medical Systems, Inc., and Ziemer USA, Inc., as well as royalties from Slack, Inc. for the textbook IOL Power. Neither author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors.affiliation: From the Stein Eye Institute (Hoffer), University of California, Los Angeles, and St. Mary's Eye Center (Hoffer), Santa Monica, California, USA; the G.B. Bietti Foundation-IRCCS (Savini), Rome, Italy. Electronic address: khoffermd@aol.com.
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hoffer
authors.affiliation: From the Stein Eye Institute (Hoffer), University of California, Los Angeles, and St. Mary's Eye Center (Hoffer), Santa Monica, California, USA; the G.B. Bietti Foundation-IRCCS (Savini), Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000473:pathology*; D001699:Biometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D063171:Corneal Pachymetry / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007368:Interferometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic / Q000295:instrumentation; D008875:Middle Aged; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies