Intraoperative aberrometry versus preoperative biometry for intraocular lens power selection in patients with axial hyperopia

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of intraoperative aberrometry (IA) in intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation and compare it with conventional IOL formulas. Methods: This was a prospective case series. Eyes with visually significant cataract and axial hyperopia (AL <22.0 mm) underwent IA?assisted phacoemulsification with posterior chamber IOL (Alcon AcrySof IQ). Postoperative spherical equivalent (SE) was compared with predicted SE to calculate the outcomes with different formulas (SRK/T, Hoffer Q, Haigis, Holladay 2, Barrett Universal ? and Hill?RBF). Accuracy of intraoperative aberrometer was compared with other formulas in terms of mean absolute prediction error (MAE), percentage of patients within 0.5 D and 1 D of their target, and percentage of patients going into hyperopic shift. Results: Sixty?five eyes (57 patients) were included. In terms of MAE, both Hoffer Q (MAE = 0.30) and IA (MAE = 0.32) were significantly better than Haigis, SRK/T, and Barrett Universal ? (P < 0.05). Outcomes within ±0.5 D of the target were maximum with Hoffer Q (80%), superior to IA (Hoffer Q > IA > Holladay 2 > Hill?RBF > Haigis > SRK/T > Barrett Universal ?). Hoffer Q resulted in minimum hyperopic shift (30.76%) followed by Hill?RBF (38.46%), Holladay 2 (38.46%), Haigis (43.07%), and then IA (46.15%), SRK/T (50.76%) and Barrett Universal ? (53.84%). Conclusion: IA was more effective (statistically significant) in predicting IOL power than Haigis, SRK/T, and Barrett Universal ? although it was equivalent to Hoffer Q. Hoffer Q was superior to all formulas in terms of percentage of patients within 0.5 D of their target refractions and percentage of patients going into hyperopic shift

Natural rubber latex allergy.

Natural rubber latex (NRL) is a ubiquitous allergen as it is a component of > 40,000 products in everyday life. Latex allergy might be attributed to skin contact or inhalation of latex particles. Latex allergy is an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to NRL, presenting a wide range of clinical symptoms such as angioedema, swelling, cough, asthma, and anaphylactic reactions. Until 1979, latex allergy appeared only as type IV delayed hypersensitivity; subsequently, the proportion of different allergy types drifted towards type IV contact allergy reactions. Several risk factors for sensitization to NRL are already known and well documented. Some authors have established a positive correlation between a history of multiple surgical interventions, atopy, spina bifida malformation, and latex allergy incidence. We suspect an increase in latex allergy incidence in association with increased atopy and sensitivity to environmental allergens in the industrial population. It is often postulated in literature that the groups of workers at risk for this allergy are essentially workers in the latex industry and healthcare professionals. In this population, direct internal and mucosal contact with NRL medical devices may be the route of sensitization as factors such as the number of procedures and use of NRL materials (catheters and tubes) were associated with increased risk of latex sensitization and allergy.