SS-OCT-based ocular biometric characteristics of patients with nuclear cataract.

Background: This observational, prospective, analytical, and cross-sectional study was designed to systematically analyze ocular biometric parameters in patients with nuclear cataract exhibiting nuclear hardness grade ≥ 3 according to the Emery-Little classification under slit-lamp examination who scheduled for phacoemulsification. Ocular biometric measurements were acquired using the IOL Master 700, a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) device.

Results: Age was negatively correlated with axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), white-to-white (WTW), and pupil diameter (PD) (r_AL = - 0.13, r_ACD = - 0.26, r_WTW = - 0.18, all P < 0.001; r_PD = - 0.09, P < 0.01) but positively correlated with total steep keratometry (TKs) (r_TKs = 0.13, P < 0.001). AL was negatively correlated with total flat keratometry (TKf), TKs, and WTW (r_TKf = - 0.3, r_TKs = - 0.27, r_WTW = - 0.18, all P < 0.001) but positively correlated with ACD and PD (r_ACD = 0.43, r_PD = 0.10, all P < 0.001). Men had smaller TK and PD but larger WTW than women.

Conclusions: These findings highlight significant sex-related differences in biometric parameters among patients with nuclear cataract, which are closely related to AL and age. Considering variation with these parameters helps personalize surgical plans and prevent complications.