ocular biometric changes after phacotrabeculectomy and its effect on intraocular lens power calculation

purpose: to evaluate ocular biometric changes after phacotrabeculectomy and its effect on intraocular lens power calculation. methods: twenty six eligible eyes (24 patients) underwent phacotrabeculectomy. they were reexamined at least 6 months after the operation in a historical cohort study. main outcome measures included axial length (al) with contact a- scan (us-8000, nidek, gamaguri, japan), keratometry (kr), and intraocular pressure (iop) changes. results: mean follow up time was 24.1±15.4 months. mean keratometry was 43.73±1.4 and 42.76±4.41 before and after operation, respectively and changes were not significant (p=0.183). mean al was 23.22 before and 23.42 after operation and changes were insignificant (p=0.238). iop decreased from 16.3 before surgery to 11.1 after surgery (p=0.002). corneal astigmatism changes were unremarkable, too (0.35±1.45 before, 0.47±1.9 after, p=0.738) conclusion: the effect of phacotrabeculectomy on keratometry and axial length, two important factors for intraocular lens power calculation, is not significant, especially when iop is controlled at most before the operation. we can use keratometry and axial length measurement with confidence for intraocular power calculation.