Comparison of Post-Operative Outcomes Predicted By Ultrasonic and Optic Biometry after Phacoemulsification

Purpose:  To compare postoperative refractive outcomes predicted by ultrasonic and optical biometry after phacoemulsification. Study Design:  Descriptive observational. Place and Duration of Study:  WAPDA Teaching Hospital and Acuity Eye Center in Lahore Pakistan from January 2022 to May 2022. Methods:  The study included 59 eyes with cataracts and required phacoemulsification and implantation of a foldable intraocular lens. They were divided into two groups; (29 in the ultrasonic biometry group and 30 in the optical biometry group). The first group was subjected to ultrasound biometry, whereas the second was subjected to optical biometry. We compared ocular refractions following cataract surgery in two groups. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the mean absolute refractive error (MAE). The operating surgeon was the same in both the groups. Results:  All the participants were between 40 and 70 years of age. The preoperative mean target refraction in the ultrasonic group was 0.05 ± 0.13D (range: -0.01 to + 0.17D) and 0.12 ± 0.33D in the optical group (range:-0.01 to +0.49D). Thus, there was a non-significant difference between both groups regarding target refraction(P = 0.58, U = 398.5). The MAE measured for the first group was 0.14 ± 0.46D and for the second group was 0.60 ± 0.53D. The comparison between both the biometry procedures showed that the difference was non-significant between the biometry methods (P = 0.430). Conclusion:  The difference between Post-Operative MAE of patients undergoing two different biometry procedures (Optical and Ultrasonic) after cataract surgery was non-significant at P > 0.05.