AMPLITUDE OF ACCOMMODATION IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS, AND ONSET OF PRESBYOPIA IN GENERAL POPULATION OF CENTRAL NEPAL

Background: Accommodation is the ability of the eye to change the refractive power of the lens to automatically focus on objects at various distances, amplitude of accommodation varies with age, and different types of refractive errors. The study aimed to find out amplitude of accommodation in different age groups in people with different refractive status of the eye, and onset of presbyopia in central Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology of a tertiary care hospital from 15 October 2021 to 15 May 2022. Convenience sampling was done. Basic demographic data, clinical characteristics, data regarding amplitude of accommodation, refractive status, and age of onset of presbyopia was noted. Data entry, and analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26. Results: A total of 519 study participants, (1038 eyes) were enrolled in the study aging 30-60 years. Mean amplitude of accommodation in the study participants was3.4±1.5 (2-9.0) Dioptre. Amplitude of accommodation was high in younger age group participants, and myopes, 4.4±1.7 (2-9.09)  Dioptre followed by the emmetropes. Age of onset of presbyopia in myopes, 43.9±0.7 years was late than the hypermetropes, and the emmetropes. Conclusions: Amplitude of accommodation was highest in younger age group subjects, and subjects with myopia. In hypermetropes the amplitude of accommodation was low and they presented with presbyopic features early, when compared with emmetropes, and myopes.