Repeatability and Reliability of Corneal Biomechanical Measurements After Uncomplicated Phacoemulsification
Narrative Responses:
Purpose
The study evaluated the repeatability and change in corneal biomechanical measurements following uncomplicated phacoemulsification using Scheimpflug technology.
Methods
The study was a prospective non-randomized interventional case series. 71 eyes of 71 consecutive patients reporting to the hospital for cataract surgery without coexisting ocular or systemic comorbidity and signing the informed consent form were included. In addition to the routine pre and post cataract evaluation at 6 weeks, patients had the corneal biomechanics evaluated using Scheimpflug technology. The outcome measures were the repeatability of Deformation Amplitude (DA) at baseline and at 6 weeks post-operatively and the change induced by surgery. Agreement of measurements was assessed using the Altman and Bland plots.
Results
32 right and 39 left eyes of 39 male and 32 female patients with a mean age of 63.93 ± 8.09 years were included. The mean of the first pair of preoperative readings was 1.69 ± 0.18 compared to 1.69 ± 0.16 that was the mean of the second pair of pre-operative readings. Similarly, the mean of the first pair of postoperative readings was 1.69 ± 0.17 compared to 1.61 ± 0.26 that was the mean of the second pair of post-operative readings.
Conclusion
The Bland-Altman plots showed good agreement indicating that the readings were repeatable and reliable. However, the 6 week postoperative readings tended to be less reliable probably as a result of changes induced by the cataract surgery.