Normal Anterior Segment Parameters Identified in Children From Pakistan

Using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), a researcher has identified normal anterior segment parameters in healthy children from Pakistan, according to a study published in Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy. 

The researcher recruited 54 healthy children (eyes, 108; mean age, 11.38 years; 53.7% girls) after a comprehensive eye exam. Participants underwent anterior segment analysis via SD-OCT, and central corneal thickness (CCT), angle opening distance (AOD), anterior chamber (AC) angle, trabecular iris space area (TISA), trabecular iris angle (TIA), iris thickness at 2 mm, internal AC diameter and lens vault measurements were obtained. 

According to the report, the mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 13.63 mm Hg, mean axial length was 22.82 mm, mean spherical equivalent was -0.14 D, mean CCT was 532.6 µm and the mean internal AC diameter was 11,609.15 µm. The nasal and temporal AC angles were 53.54° and 50.37°, respectively (P =.033), the nasal and temporal AOD500 were 0.9 mm and 0.85 mm, respectively (P =.629) and the nasal and temporal AOD750 were 1.21 mm and 1.06 mm, respectively (P =.583). 

The nasal TIA was 41.75°, the temporal TIA was 40.24° (P =.325), the nasal TISA500 was 0.33 mm², and the temporal TISA500 was 0.31 mm² (P =.012). The nasal TISA750 was 0.59 mm² and the temporal TISA750 was 0.56 mm² (P =.746). The nasal iris thickness at 2 mm was 483.54 µm and the temporal iris thickness was 505.8 µm [P =.273]. The mean lens vault was -519.58 µm, according to the report.

The researcher found no association between age and any variable except for temporal iris thickness (P =.007) and axial length (P =.01). IOP was significantly lower in boys (P =.001) and the temporal AC angle was wider in girls (P =.038).  

“Establishing a normative database for our pediatric population would help immensely in the diagnosis and monitoring of anterior segment disorders in children,” according to the researcher. “This is a large and first of its kind detailed study depicting the detailed anterior segment parameters of healthy children.”

Study limitations include the single center design and the moderately small cohort.