Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Book

Ultrasound Biometry

In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
Affiliations
Free Books & Documents
Book

Ultrasound Biometry

Srishty Sen et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Biometry is the process of measuring the power of the cornea (keratometry or Km), the axial length (AL) of the eye, and other parameters to calculate the ideal intraocular lens (IOL) power. The average normal axial length is 23.5 (22 to 24.5) mm. The axial length is shorter than average in hyperopic eyes and longer than average in myopic eyes (see Image. Refractive Conditions Ray Diagram). An axial length measurement error of 1 mm leads to a 2.5 (2-3) Diopter (D) change in IOL power, though the shift in IOL power is around 3.75 D in the shorter eyes. The postoperative refractive error changes around 2.88 D per 1 mm change in AL. Given the correction to corneal power, this procedure is highly relevant following cataract surgery, which is typically performed by ophthalmologists.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Srishty Sen declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Koushik Tripathy declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

    1. Astbury N, Ramamurthy B. How to avoid mistakes in biometry. Community Eye Health. 2006 Dec;19(60):70-1. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Oliveira C, Harizman N, Girkin CA, Xie A, Tello C, Liebmann JM, Ritch R. Axial length and optic disc size in normal eyes. Br J Ophthalmol. 2007 Jan;91(1):37-9. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bhardwaj V, Rajeshbhai GP. Axial length, anterior chamber depth-a study in different age groups and refractive errors. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013 Oct;7(10):2211-2. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wilson ME, Trivedi RH. Axial length measurement techniques in pediatric eyes with cataract. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jan;26(1):13-7. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Karabela Y, Eliacik M, Kocabora MS, Erdur SK, Baybora H. Predicting the refractive outcome and accuracy of IOL power calculation after phacoemulsification using the SRK/T formula with ultrasound biometry in medium axial lengths. Clin Ophthalmol. 2017;11:1143-1149. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources