Swept-source OCT reduces the risk of axial length measurement errors in eyes with cataract and epiretinal membranes

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 16; no. 9; p. e0257654
• Main Authors: Faraldi, Francesco, Lavia, Carlo Alessandro, Nassisi, Marco, Kilian, Raphael A., Bacherini, Daniela, Rizzo, Stanislao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 22.09.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Axial Length, Eye - diagnostic imaging; Axial Length, Eye - pathology; Biology and Life Sciences; Biometrics; Biometry - methods; Bus interconnections; Care and treatment; Cataract; Cataract - diagnostic imaging; Cataract - pathology; Cataracts; Coherence (Optics); Cornea; Diagnosis; Electronic devices; Engineering and Technology; Epiretinal Membrane - diagnostic imaging; Epiretinal Membrane - pathology; Error analysis; Evaluation; Eye; Eye (anatomy); Eye surgery; Female; Hospitals; Humans; Interferometry; Interferometry - methods; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Membranes; Middle Aged; Neurosciences; Ophthalmology; Research and Analysis Methods; Risk reduction; Subgroups; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods; Italy; Rome Italy; Germany
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257654

To compare the biometric data from partial coherence interferometry (PCI) and swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) in patients with age-related cataract and epiretinal membrane (ERM): ERM, ERM with foveoschisis and macular pseudohole. 49 eyes of 49 subjects including 36 ERM, 9 ERM foveoschisis and 4 macular pseudohole were analysed to evaluate the axial length (AL) measurements and the presence of AL measurement errors, defined basing on the shape of the biometric output graphs and on the concordance of AL values between instruments. Eyes with ERM were divided in four stages according to OCT features (i.e. presence/absence of the foveal pit, presence of ectopic inner foveal layers, disrupted retinal layers). The devices provided similar mean AL measurements in all subgroups, with differences <0.1 mm in 41/49 cases (83.6%). AL measurement errors were observed in ERM stages 3 and 4, characterized by ectopic inner foveal layers, and were significantly more frequent with the PCI (8/17, 47%) as compared with the SS-OCT device (2/17, 12%), p = 0.02. The refractive prediction error in cases with AL measurement errors was significantly greater using the PCI compared to the SS-OCT device (p<0.05). Both devices provide reliable biometric data in the majority of patients and can be used in the preoperative assessment of patients with age-related cataract and ERM. In eyes with ectopic inner foveal layers, attention should be paid as AL measurement and refractive prediction errors may occur, more frequently with the PCI device.