An intraocular lens power calculation formula based on optical coherence tomography: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: To develop an intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation formula based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) that would not be biased by previous laser vision correction.
METHODS: Twenty-seven eyes of 27 cataract patients without prior laser vision correction who underwent phacoemulsification were included in the study. An optical coherence biometer (IOLMaster, Carl Zeiss Meditec) measured anterior corneal curvature and axial eye length. A high-speed (2000 Hz) anterior segment OCT prototype mapped corneal thickness and measured anterior chamber depth and crystalline lens thickness. Posterior corneal curvature was computed by combining IOLMaster keratometry with OCT corneal thickness mapping. A new IOL formula was developed based on these parameters. One month after phacoemulsification, the manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) was measured. The prediction error in postoperative MRSE of the OCT-based IOL formula was compared with that of three theoretic formulae: SRK/T, Hoffer Q, and Holladay II.
RESULTS: The mean prediction error in postoperative MRSE of the OCT-based formula was 0.04+/-0.44 diopters (D). The SRK/T was the best of the theoretic formulae, and its prediction error was -0.35+/-0.42 D. Twenty-one (78%) eyes were within 0.50 D using the OCT formula compared to 18 (67%) eyes using the SRK/T. No statistically significant differences were noted among the formulae.
CONCLUSIONS: For cataract patients without prior laser vision correction, the OCT-based IOL formula was as accurate as the current theoretic formulae. This new formula is based on direct OCT assessment of the posterior curvature and avoids the calculation errors inherent in conventional IOL formulae. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.