Lens anatomy parameters with intraoperative spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in cataractous eyes

PURPOSE: To study correlations of crystalline lens anatomy and position parameters obtained using intraoperative spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) in cataract patients. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated biometry data from 600 eyes of 399 cataract patients (mean age: 69±8.4 years) using intraoperative anterior segment SD-OCT during femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery. Lens anatomy and position parameters (anterior chamber depth [ACD] – center of the anterior cornea to the anterior lens capsule, lens thickness [LT] – distance between anterior and posterior lens capsules, and lens meridian position [LMP] – distance from center of the anterior cornea to intersection of the anterior and posterior lens) obtained with intraoperative SD-OCT, were correlated among themselves and with noncontact axial length (AL). Equatorial plane position (EPP) (distance between the plane of the lens equator and anterior capsule) was also studied. Pearson’s coefficients (r-values) were determined for all correlation pairs. RESULTS: There was a moderate correlation between AL and ACD (r=0.451; P<0.001). LMP was found to correlate strongly with ACD (r=0.77; P<0.001) but very weakly with AL (r=0.089; P=0.04). There was a moderately strong inverse correlation between LT and ACD (r=−0.586; P<0.001) but the correlation between LT and AL and LT and LMP was found to be weak (r=−0.155; P<0.001 and r=−0.121, P=0.003, respectively). Correlation of the ratio of EPP/LT and LT was weakly positive (r=0.267; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: LMP correlated strongly with ACD but only minimally with AL. LT correlated fairly strongly with ACD but only minimally with LMP. This should stimulate additional research into the relationships among ocular and crystalline lens anatomy and IOL position after cataract surgery.