What Is The Right Intraocular Lens Power For Cataract Surgery On Eye Safaris?

Abstract

A cross sectional study was done to determine the intraocular lens (IOL) power for cataract surgery safaris, and to ascertain the relationship between both refractive status of the fellow eye and corneal diameters with IOL power. Patients with cataract were assessed in Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi, Light House for Christ Eye Centre Mombasa and Lions Sight First Hospital Nairobi. Biometry (contact and immersion methods), corneal diameter measurements and refraction of fellow eyes were carried out. The average IOL power from the biometry results was computed. This was related to the IOL power calculated using refractive status of the fellow eye and to corneal diameters. The standard IOL powers resulting from this study PC IOL powers: Alcon 2L50D, Aurolab 2L50D, Fred Hollows 2LOOD, Omni 2 L50D; AC IOL power: Alcon, Aurolab, Omni 18.00D) vary from commonly used standard IOL powers. It was found that the average IOL power for females differs from that for males. The standard IOL power would give 66%,78% and 71% of the study sample postoperative refractions of within ±ID, +2D and -2/+0.5D of emmetropia respectively. This study found that immersion method biometry was not tolerated well by the predominantly rural patients. Recommendations from this study include the use of individual biometry as far as possible and where this is not possible the use of the above standard IOL powers