Ocular biometric parameters of children with refractive errors in the age group of 6–15 years

• Main Authors: P Thanusree, V Mallika, Suma Unnikrishnan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
• Series: Kerala Journal of Ophthalmology
• Subjects: anterior chamber depth; axial length; corneal curvature; lens thickness; refractive errors; spherical equivalence; vitreous chamber depth
• Online Access: http://www.kjophthal.com/article.asp?issn=0976-6677;year=2021;volume=33;issue=2;spage=160;epage=166;aulast=Thanusree

Background: Refractive errors are one of the leading causes of visual impairment in children. Studies on the association between refractive errors and ocular biometrics have shown inconclusive results; hence, this study aims to examine this relationship. Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the association between ocular biometrics such as axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth (VCD), and corneal curvature (CC) with different refractive errors in children aged 6–15 years. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study and studied 130 eyes of children. Children with congenital and acquired anterior or posterior segment diseases were excluded. All underwent detailed ocular examination, visual acuity measurement, and cyclopegic refraction. Children were divided into emmetropia, myopia, and hypermetropia. Ocular biometrics measured using A-scan and automated keratometer. Results: AL, ACD, and VCD significantly increased in the higher levels of myopia (P ≤ 0.0001), (P = 0.04), and (P ≤ 0.0001), respectively, whereas hypermetropes had the lowest. Spherical equivalence was significantly correlated with AL in myopes (ρ= −0.624; P < 0.0001) and hypermetropes (ρ = −0.803; P < 0.001). It was also significantly correlated with ACD more strongly for hypermetropes (ρ = −−0.58; P = 0.002) and VCD more strongly for myopes (ρ = −0.59; P < 0.0001). There was a significant difference between the age group of 6–10 years and 11–15 years for AL (P = 0.001), ACD (P ≤≤ 0.0001), VCD (P = 0.001), and CC (P = 0.03). Conclusion: AL and VCD make the greatest contribution to refractive errors. ACD has more important role in hypermetropes and VCD in myopes. A relative higher AL, ACD, VCD, and CC were found in the age group of 11–15 years.