Variability of axial length, anterior chamber depth, and lens thickness in the cataractous eye

PURPOSE: To review and evaluate the biometry measurements in 750 eyes (first eye developing cataract) of 750 consecutive patients with no retinal pathology. SETTING: Private practice, Lynwood, California, USA. METHODS: All measurements were performed with the I3 system A-scan (Innovative Imaging, Inc.) using an immersion technique. The axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and lens thickness (LT) measurements were evaluated in relation to each other and in relation to age, sex, and keratometric readings. RESULTS: The mean AL was 23.46 mm +/- 1.03 (SD), the mean ACD was 2.96 +/- 0.45 mm, and the mean LT was 4.93 +/- 0.56 mm. Men presented for surgery at an earlier age than women (mean 73 +/- 9.41 years versus 75 +/- 8.55 years) with a longer AL (23.76 +/- 1.00 mm versus 23.27 +/- 1.01 mm). The AL tended to be longer in younger patients (r = -0.127; P<.001); the ACD tended to be deeper in younger patients (r = -0.250; P<.001) and in longer eyes (r = 0.423; P<.001). The LT tended to be thicker in older patients (r = 0.385; P<.001) and in shorter eyes (r = -0.179; P<.001), with large scatter in the distribution. CONCLUSIONS: There was a positive correlation between AL and ACD and an inverse correlation between AL and LT. Also, AL was inversely correlated with age and corneal power.