Similarity of eyes in a cataractous population—How reliable is the biometry of the fellow eye for lens power calculation?

Background In some situations it is necessary to use biometry from the fellow eye for lens power calculation prior to cataract surgery. The purpose of this study was to analyse the lateral differences in biometric measurements and their impact on the lens power calculation. Methods The analysis was based on a large dataset of 19,472 measurements of 9736 patients prior to cataract surgery with complete biometric data of both left and right eyes extracted from the IOLMaster 700. After randomly indexing the left or right eye as primary (P) and secondary (S), the differences between S and P eye were recorded and analysed (Keratometry (RSEQ), total keratometry (TRSEQ) and back surface power (BRSEQ)), axial length AL, corneal thickness CCT, anterior chamber depth ACD, lens thickness LT). Lens power was calculated with the Castrop formula for all P and S eyes, and the refraction was predicted using both the P and S eye biometry for the lens power calculation. Results Lateral differences (S-P, 90% confidence interval) ranged between -0.64 to 0.63 dpt / -0.67 to 0.66 dpt / -0.12 to 0.12 dpt for RSEQ / TRSEQ / BRSEQ. The respective difference in AL / CCT / ACD / LT ranged between -0.46 to 0.43 mm / -0.01 to 0.01 mm / -0.20 to 0.20 mm / -0.13 to 0.14 mm. The resulting difference in lens power and predicted refraction ranged between -2.02 to 2.00 dpt and -1.36 to 1.30 dpt where the biometry of the S eye is used instead of the P eye. The AL and RSEQ were identified as the most critical parameters where the biometry of the fellow eye is used. Conclusion Despite a strong similarity of both eyes, intraocular lens power calculation with fellow eye biometry could yield different results for the lens power and finally for the predicted refraction. In 10% of cases, the lens power derived from the S eye deviates by 2 dpt or more, resulting in a refraction deviation of 1.36 dpt or more.