Swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) biometer Argos is now available in New Zealand and Australia, achieving higher acquisition rates compared with other optical biometers, even in mature cataract cases, according to manufacturer Alcon.
Optical biometry is a highly accurate non-invasive automated method of measuring the eye’s anatomical characteristics, and is required to determine the correct power of an intraocular lens (IOL) before it is implanted during cataract surgery.
The higher acquisition rates achieved with Argos, even for dense cataracts, reduces the need for ultrasound biometry, thereby improving efficiency, said Alcon product manager Jonathan Beh. “The decreased reliance on ultrasound may prove beneficial, especially in regional clinics where presentation and surgical intervention of cataracts often comes later.”
Another benefit is the included remote planning and review software for clinics and full Verion image guidance integration for theatres, he said, bypassing common workflow bottlenecks found in both environments.
Studies comparing Argos with Zeiss’ IOLMaster 500 and Haag-Streit’s Lenstar showed consistently improved acquisition rates, Beh said. Overall, predictive accuracy with Argos compared with IOLMaster 500 (using new-generation IOL formulas) was found to be the same when personalised IOL constants were applied, he said. One study reported significantly higher acquisition rates for Argos (97.6%) versus IOLMaster 700 (92.6%) (p<0.0001), while a second study reported numerically higher acquisition rates for Argos (99.4%) versus the IOLMaster 700 (97.1%), although Beh noted in this second case the difference was not statistically significant.
