Häsemeyer S., Hugger P., Jonas J. B.

Department of Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Faculty of Clinical Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68167 Mannheim, Germany Corresponding author: Dr. Stefan Häsemeyer, Universitäts-Augenklinik, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; Phone: **49-621- 383-2652; Fax: **49-621-383-3803; e-mail: Stefan.Haesemeyer@augen.ma.uni-heidelberg.de

Purpose: To evaluate the predictability of partial coherence laser interferometry for preoperative biometry of the cataractous eye.
Methods: The case series study included 105 patients consecutively undergoing routine phacoemulsification with implantation of a posterior chamber lens. For all patients, partial coherence laser interferometry biometry was performed for preoperative axial length measurement.
Results: Mean difference in refractive error between preoperatively predicted postoperative values and postoperative values measured after surgery was 0.57 ± 0.54 diopters. Postoperative refractive error was predicted within +/- 1 diopter in 91 (91/105=81.9%) patients, and within +/- 2 diopters in 104 (104/105 =99%) patients. The difference was significantly (P=0.02) associated with axial length. It was statistically independent of the preoperative refractive error (P=0.68), preoperative keratometric readings (P=0.30), preoperative keratometric corneal astigmatism (P=0.57), and type of cataract (P=0.66).
Conclusions: Partial coherence interferometry is a non-contact, user- and patient-friendly technique for ocular axial length determination with an accuracy which is comparable to that of high-precision immersion ultrasound.

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