[Keratometric characteristics and astigmatism of globes from eye bank]

We measured by means of keratometry the dioptric power of the main meridians of 142 globes (79 subjects) obtained from an eye bank. The mean dioptric power was 43.56 (standard deviation [SD] 1.97) dioptres. Eyes from female subjects had a significantly higher mean power than those from male subjects (p < 0.05). The keratometric readings were used to quantify corneal astigmatism. The mean degree of astigmatism was 1.03 (SD 0.95) dioptres. There was no significant difference in the amount of astigmatism between age groups, between eyes from female and male subjects, and between left and right eyes. However, subjects with astigmatism in one eye were likely to have it in the fellow eye (p < 0.001). A predominance of "against-the-rule" astigmatism was noted.