Title : Change in axial length of the eye after phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation
Abstract:
Summary: It has been proven that changes in the parameters of the anterior segment of the eye after phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation are most pronounced in patients with myopia. However, changes in the axial length of the eye after phacoemulsification with IOL implantation have not been studied. The purpose of the study is to investigate changes in the axial length of the eye after phacoemulsification over time using optical biometry.
Materials and Methods: The axial length of the eye was measured in 50 patients (70 eyes) using optical biometry with the "Lenstar LS 900" biometer ("Haag-Streit", Switzerland) before phacoemulsification with IOL implantation, on the next day, and 1 month after surgery. The "Pseudophakic acrylic" option was used for pseudophakic measurements.
Results: According to optical biometry, a decrease in axial eye length was detected in all patients: on average by 0.08 mm on the day after phacoemulsification with IOL implantation and by 0.1 mm one month after surgery compared to baseline data. The minimal changes in axial length were noted in eyes with an initial axial length of 24.0 - 26.0 mm, amounting to 0.03 mm, which did not affect the target refraction. The greatest changes in axial length (a decrease of 0.39 mm) were found in eyes with an initial axial length of 29.0 – 31.81 mm. Therefore, in eyes with an initial axial length greater than 29.0 mm, the postoperative decrease in axial length must be considered when calculating the dioptric power of the intraocular lens.
Conclusions: The reduction in the initial axial length of the eye after phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation must be taken into account in the preoperative calculation of the dioptric power of the intraocular lens for patients with an axial length exceeding 29.0 mm.
