Axial length and keratometry characteristics of patients undergoing cataract surgery in Saudi Arabia

Cataract surgery is one of the most successful surgical procedures, mainly due to the recent developments in surgical instruments and intraocular lens (IOL) measurements. Understanding the nature of axial length (AL) and keratometry readings (K) in patients with cataracts has significant implications for accurate postoperative IOL size selection. This study aimed to measure AL and K in patients undergoing cataract surgery in Saudi Arabia. This retrospective study included patients who underwent cataract surgery in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The medical records of adult patients between May 2022 and May 2023 were reviewed, and those with a history of retinal detachment, refractive surgery, or trauma were excluded. The AL and K readings were obtained from the patient's IOL master results. A total of 691 eyes from 451 patients were included in the analysis. The mean age was 64.54 years old. Most of the patients were women (55%). The mean AL, K1, and K2 values were 23.27, 43.42, and 44.69, respectively. Linear regression analysis was used to measure the relationship between AL and K, revealing an inverse relationship in our findings. As AL increased by one unit, the mean K was estimated to decrease by 0.548, with a 95% confidence interval. Our results demonstrated an inverse relationship between AL and K, implying that when AL increases, K decreases, or the corneal curvature becomes flat. Further studies are needed to investigate the biomechanical mechanisms underlying this relationship.