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The most common error encountered in contact biometry is corneal compression. This phenomenon occurs because the measurement taken during the process can inadvertently flatten the cornea due to the contact of the biometry device with the eye. When the corneal curvature is altered, it can lead to inaccurate measurements of the eye's length and corneal power, which are crucial for determining the appropriate power of intraocular lenses for cataract surgery or other procedures.

Understanding corneal compression is essential, as it underscores the importance of technique and instrument settings in biometry procedures. Proper training and awareness of the potential distortion caused by biometry devices help mitigate this error. In contrast, other errors like miscalculation of lens power, incorrect axial length measurement, and improper alignment with the visual axis are significant but occur less frequently than the impact of corneal compression during these assessments. Therefore, recognizing and addressing corneal compression is critical for improving the accuracy of contact biometry results.