Evaluation of preoperative corneal astigmatism using swept-source optical biometry in Chinese cataract surgery candidates with high myopia: a prospective, comparative observational study

Background High myopia and cataracts are major causes of blindness in East and Southeast Asia. Corneal astigmatism is a major contributor to uncorrected poor vision after cataract surgery in patients with high myopia. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the demographic characteristics and distribution of preoperative corneal astigmatism in Chinese cataract surgery candidates with high myopia. Methods Swept-source optical coherence tomography-based optical biometry was performed preoperatively in consecutive cataract surgery candidates who were classified by axial length (AL) into a high myopia group (defined as AL ≥26.0 mm) and a control group (normal ALs). The demographics, ALs, and keratometry values were recorded. Results Among 15,063 cataract surgery candidates (15,063 eyes), 1,921 patients (12.8%, 1,921 eyes) in the high myopia group and 11,880 patients (11,880 eyes) in the control group were enrolled. In the high myopia group, the mean age was 59.8±12.6 (standard deviation) years, which was younger than that in the control group (69.1±11.0 years, P<0.001). In the high myopia group, the mean corneal astigmatism was 1.20±0.83 dioptre (D), which was greater than that in the control group (0.93±0.69 D, P<0.001). In the high myopia group, 82.2% had corneal astigmatism ≥0.50 D, 51.4% ≥1.00 D, 27.4% ≥1.50 D and 14.4% ≥2.00 D, all of which were higher than the respective proportions in the control group (P<0.001 for all). In the high myopia group, 66.8% had moderate to high corneal astigmatism, and 42.8% had "with-the-rule" astigmatism, and both of these proportions were higher than the respective proportions in the control group (P<0.001 for both). In the high myopia group, corneal astigmatism tended to increase with increasing age (r =0.134, P<0.001) after the age of 50, which was consistent with the tendency in the control group. Conclusions A significant burden of preoperative corneal astigmatism was observed in Chinese cataract surgery candidates with high myopia. Moderate to high corneal astigmatism was more common in highly myopic eyes than in normal AL eyes.