As the recently published article in the journal Journal of Open Ophthalmology shows, there are significant differences between the degrees of corneal parameters obtained by the three most common ophthalmic devices, called topographers.
This is an urgent issue for doctors who want to achieve the best patient outcomes for vision recovery after cataract surgery.
The calculation of the astigmatic power required for the intraocular lens (IOL) to be inserted after cataract surgery is based on the size and axis of corneal astigmatism under consideration, which can be measured and worked out. using different topographies.
Accuracy in measuring the appropriate IOL determines the size and quality of vision of postoperative cataract patients and also explains their need for postoperative spectacles.
This work, published by a team of ophthalmologists from Spain compares the steps obtained from the Pentacam system (Oculus Optikgera? Te GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany), Cassini (i-Optics, The Hague, The Netherlands, distributed by Ophtec) and IOL-master System 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany). These three devices measure corneal parameters using different technologies.
The proposed comparative study reviews data from 94 eyes from 53 patients ranging in age from 29 to 77 years, recruited from the previous section consultation at Vithas Eurocanarias Instituto Oftalmológico in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain).
Normal and complete keratometric readings and degrees of astigmatism obtained with these instruments cannot be used interchangeably, as statistically significant and clinically relevant differences are among the results obtained. “
Dr. Humberto Carreras, Co-Author of Research
“So, if the data of these three systems are used for the calculation of torque IOL power, large differences can be expected, what will affect the post-op view in the cataract patients?” The authors suggest that reconstructive prediction studies maintain the answer to this question, and this needs further investigation for all types of optometric devices.
Source:
Bentham science publishers
Magazine Reference:
Carreras, H., et al. (2020) Comparison of General and Total Keratometry Astigmatism measured by three different technologies. The Journal of Open Ophthalmology. doi.org/10.2174/1874364102014010059.