Differences in Ocular Biometry Between Short-Axial and Normal-Axial Eyes in the Elderly Japanese.

Abstract

Purpose: Among patients with angle-closure glaucoma, it is common to have a short-axial eye, which also makes it difficult to select an appropriate intraocular lens. Previous studies have focused on the ocular biometry of the long-axial eye, whereas only a few reports have focused on the short-axial eye. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of the short-axial eye on ocular biometry among the elderly Japanese.

Patients and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 142 patients who consulted at our hospital. The ocular axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), average anterior corneal radius of curvature (CR), white-to-white (WTW), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and lens thickness (LT) were measured using OA-2000. The short-axial and normal-axial groups (short-axial [SA] and normal-axial [NA] groups) included those with an AL less than 22.5 mm and ranging from 22.5-26.5 mm, respectively. Comparisons between groups were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient tests and multiple regression analyses were performed for all parameters overall and per group.

Results: The parameters that were significantly different between the SA and NA groups were CR, WTW, and ACD (all P < 0.0001). In the SA group (42 patients), only ACD was significantly correlated with AL (r = 0.33, P = 0.031). On multiple regression analysis for the SA group, none of the parameters had a significant effect on AL (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion: In the SA group, ACD was the only factor that positively correlated with AL; it was significantly shallower than in the NA group. Thus, in the SA eye, it is clinically important to be aware of ACD.