Axial length measurement and asteroid hyalosis

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of asteroid hyalosis on automated and manua l A-scan axial length measurements. Setting: Celal Bayar University School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey. Methods: A case-control study comprised 15 patients with unilateral asteroi d hyalosis. The uninvolved eyes were used as controls. Axial length measure ments by manual and automated A-scan biometry were performed in both eyes. The main outcome measures were comparisons between manual and automated mea surements in asteroid hyalosis eyes with those in control eyes and the asse ssment of density of asteroid bodies on B-scan photographs. Results: Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between a xial lengths of asteroid hyalosis eyes and those in control eyes with autom ated (P = .524) or manual (P = .163) methods. Using automated biometry, 1 p atient (7%) had a false (6.23 mm) short axial length measurement in the eye with asteroid hyalosis. There were no significant correlations between man ual versus automated measurement differences and the density of the asteroi d bodies. Conclusion: The axial length of the eye without asteroid hyalosis can be us ed to calculate intraocular lens power if the patient has no history of cli nical anisometropia. (C) 1999 ASCRS and ESCRS.