Role of aberrometry may reduce refractive ‘surprises’

 

Take home message: Intraoperative aberrometry may reduce refractive surprises and result in a higher percentage of happy patients following cataract surgery, particularly those who had undergone previous corneal refractive surgery and in those planning for a toric IOL.

 

By Michelle Dalton, ELS; Reviewed by Robert Cionni, MD

Salt Lake City-As more and more patients are expecting refractive outcomes with their cataract surgery, the use of intraoperative aberrometry may reduce refractive "surprises" and result in a higher percentage of happy patients. Surgeons are finding the technology particularly helpful with eyes that had undergone previous corneal refractive surgery and in those under consideration for a toric IOL.

More in this issue: Keys to IOL power selection in pseudophakic children

One system (ORA System with VerifEye, WaveTec Vision/Alcon Laboratories) has been invaluable, said Robert Cionni, MD, medical director of The Eye Institute of Utah, Salt Lake City. The technology has the ability to take into account the effect of posterior corneal astigmatism and to consider the aphakic refractive state for patients who have previously undergone corneal refractive surgery, he noted.

“The improvement VerifEye gives us with toric IOLs is also seen with corneal astigmatic incisions and with spherical refractive errors,” he said. “I alter my planned IOL spherical power in approximately 50% of eyes based on the information that VerifEye provides me during surgery. Nailing the refractive result is of particular importance when using multifocal IOLs or toric IOLs.”

According to manufacturer data, in a study of more than 1,300 eyes, the mean preoperative keratometric astigmatism (1.72 D) dropped to a mean of 0.42 D postoperatively when the system is used with toric IOL implantation.

 

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