Evaluation of biometry and corneal astigmatism in cataract surgery patients in Northern United Arab Emirates

Purpose To analyze biometric parameters and patterns of corneal astigmatism in cataract surgery patients using optical low-coherence interferometry in Northern United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods Axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), horizontal corneal diameter (white to white, WTW) and flat and steep keratometry (K1 and K2, respectively) were optically measured using optical low-coherence interferometry (Aladdin). Ocular datasets acquired between 2015 and 2018 were collected and analyzed. Results This study evaluated 238 eyes of 123 cataract patients with a mean age of 67.1 ± 9.4 years. Mean AL, ACD, WTW, K1, and K2 were 23.22 ± 0.99 mm, 3.05 ± 0.36 mm, 11.19 ± 0.46 mm, 43.72 ± 1.80 diopter (D), and 45.04 ± 1.71 D, respectively. Mean corneal astigmatism was 1.32 ± 0.97 D. Corneal astigmatism of 1.5 D or greater was found in 32.4%. With the rule, against the rule, and oblique astigmatism were found in 29.8%, 57.1%, and 13.0% of eyes, respectively. Conclusions Results of this study provide normative data for cataract surgery as an informative reference in Northern UAE, the Middle East. This study showed higher corneal astigmatism in Northern UAE than those in other countries.