Impact of quality indicators on variability of keratometry measurements using a swept-source OCT based optical biometer.

Abstract

To characterize the variability of keratometry measurements on the IOLMaster 700, and relate it to device image quality indicators (QI). Two academic centers and one private practice. Multicenter, retrospective consecutive case series. Measurements from three sites, obtained between December, 2015 and July, 2023 were included. Surgery-naïve phakic eyes with same-day sequential measurements on the same eye were identified. Repeat measurement pairs were grouped by IOLMaster QIs (success vs. warning), and changes in mean standard (∆Kmean) and total (∆TKmean) keratometry as well as standard (∆Kastig) and total (∆TKastig) astigmatism vectors were calculated. Analysis was performed on 3,222 eyes of 1,890 patients. Measurement 'success' was associated with a smaller ΔKmean (0.09 ± 0.14 D) and ΔTKmean (0.11 ± 0.16 D) when compared to pairs in which both measurements had a 'warning' [0.25 ± 0.32 D and 0.14 ± 0.17 D, respectively; (p < 0.0001)]. A similarly smaller ∆Kastig (0.26 ± 0.28 D) and ∆TKastig (0.28 ± 0.30 D) was observed with measurement 'success' versus 'warning' [0.77 ± 0.79 D and 0.42 ± 0.41 D, respectively (p < 0.0001)]. Even when both measurements were successful, the proportion of measurement pairs that had a ∆Kastig > 0.50 D increased from 14% to 24% to 32% when Kmean standard deviation (SD) was ≥ 0.01, 0.05, and 0.10 D, respectively. When measurement quality is poor, total keratometry varies less than standard keratometry measurements. Clinicians may use the SD of Kmean/TKmean to estimate the repeatability of measurements and balance this against their tolerance for performing repeat measurements.