Comparison of Formula-Specific Factors and Artificial Intelligence Formulas with Axial Length Adjustments in Bilateral Cataract Patients with Long Axial Length

Abstract

Introduction: To evaluate and compare the effectiveness for reducing the prediction error (PE) of the second eye using formula-specific factors, artificial intelligence (AI) formulas (PEARL-DGS and Kane), and the Cooke-modified axial length (CMAL) methods in bilateral cataract patients with long axial length (AL). Methods: A total of 98 patients with long AL who underwent sequential bilateral cataract surgeries were retrospectively enrolled. The second-eye IOL power was calculated by the formula-specific factors, AI formulas, and CMAL methods when the first eye suffered from refraction surprise. The correction factors of eight formulas were calculated by regression analysis. Results: There was a significant correlation between bilateral preoperative biometric parameters (P < 0.05) as well as bilateral PE (P < 0.05). The Kane formula displayed the lowest median absolute error (MedAE) and highest proportion of PE within ± 0.50 and ± 1.00 D compared with other formulas for the first eye. For the second-eye refinement, all three methods could reduce the second-eye MedAE. The formula-specific correction factors were 0.250, 0.331, 0.343, 0.394, 0.409, 0.452, 0.503, and 0.520 for Kane, Barrett Universal II (BUII), PEARL-DGS, Holladay 2, Holladay 1, Haigis, Hoffer Q, and SRK/T, respectively. The new AI-based Kane and PEARL-DGS with or without the CMAL methods could improve the refractive outcomes of the second eye in sequential bilateral cataract patients with long AL. The Kane, BUII, and PEARL-DGS with specific correction factors displayed higher accuracy compared with the other two methods (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The new AI-based Kane and PEARL-DGS with or without the CMAL methods could improve the refractive outcomes of the second eye in sequential bilateral cataract patients with long AL. Notably, the Kane, PEARL-DGS, and BUII with specific correction factors displayed higher accuracy.