Abstract
Purpose::
To assess the practical feasibility and signal quality of axial length measurements by partial coherence laser interferometry (PCI) in eyes with previous complicated vitreo-retinal surgery and heavy silicone oil (HSO) endotamponade.
Methods::
Using a Zeiss IOLMaster (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Germany) axial length measurements and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of optical biometry in HSO-filled eyes (n=10) and 10 eyes with conventional silicone oil tamponade as a control group were analyzed.
Results::
Axial length measurements with SNR > 2 were feasible in 9/10 HSO-filled eyes (90%) and in 10/10 in the control group. A dense subcapsular cataract was the reason for failure of PCI in one case. Mean axial length was 24.98 + 2.70 mm (control 26.64 + 2.68 mm) with a range between the first two measurements of 0.04 + 0.03 mm in both groups. Mean SNR of the first two measurements was significantly lower in HSO-filled eyes (4.1 + 1.7) than in the eyes with conventional silicone oil tamponade (5.8 + 2.4) (p < 0.05, t-test).
Conclusions::
Even though SNR was lower in HSO-filled eyes partial coherence laser interferometry shows good clinical practicability in both groups with silicone oil endotamponade and previous complicated vitreoretinal surgery. Further studies are needed to assess the reliability of these measurements with regard to follow up measurements after oil removal.
Keywords: intraocular lens • refractive error development • vitreous substitutes