Technical failure rates for biometry between swept-source and older-generation optical coherence methods: a review...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Optics
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Precise ocular measurements are essential for successful cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange.
• Current biometry devices utilize various optical methods, including partial coherence interferometry (PCI), low-coherence optical reflectometry (LCOR), and swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).
• SS-OCT employs longer wavelengths for enhanced penetration through dense ocular media, potentially improving measurement reliability.

Approach:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus for studies comparing optical biometry methods.
• Included studies focused on patients undergoing routine cataract surgery and utilized at least two optical methods (PCI/LCOR vs. SS-OCT) within the same patient cohort.
• A meta-analysis was performed to pool and compare the technical failure rates (TFR) across different biometry technologies.

Key Points:

• Fourteen studies involving 2,459 eyes were analyzed, revealing an overall TFR of 5.47%.
• Significant differences in TFR were observed among the methods: PCI (15.72%), LCOR (6.88%), and SS-OCT (1.51%).
• The pooled TFR for infrared methods (PCI and LCOR) was 11.12%, substantially higher than SS-OCT's 1.51% (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• SS-OCT biometry demonstrates a significantly lower technical failure rate compared to PCI and LCOR methods.
• This reduction in TFR suggests SS-OCT offers improved reliability for ocular measurements in routine ophthalmic procedures.
• The findings support the adoption of SS-OCT technology for enhanced precision in pre-operative planning for cataract and refractive surgery.