Component dependent risk factors for ocular parameters in Singapore Chinese children

To examine the risk factors for variations in ocular biometry parameters in Singapore Chinese children, a population with a known high prevalence rate of myopia at an early age.

Cross-sectional study.

Children aged 7 to 9 years (n = 1453) from three schools in Singapore.

The children underwent A scan biometry and cycloplegic autorefraction measurements. Questions were asked regarding number of books read per week, night lighting, and parental myopia.

Axial length, vitreous chamber depth, lens thickness, anterior chamber depth, refraction, and corneal curvature radius measurements were made.

After controlling for several factors, the axial lengths were found to be longer and vitreous chambers deeper in children who were older, male, read more than two books per week, or taller, and those who had at least one parent who was myopic. In these models, children who read more than two books per week had axial lengths that were 0.17 mm longer and vitreous chambers that were 0.15 mm deeper compared with children who read two or fewer books per week. Anterior chambers were deeper in males and taller children, whereas corneal curvature was steeper in female, older, and shorter children.

Increases of axial length and vitreous cavity depth were associated with older age, being male, reading more than two books per week, increased height, and parental history of myopia. Of these risk factors, however, neither reading nor parental myopia history were associated with values for anterior chamber depth, corneal curvature, or lens thickness. These findings confirm that conventional risk factors for myopia associated with the vitreous cavity, but suggest that anterior segment parameters such as corneal curvature and lens thickness may be subject to unrelated postnatal growth control mechanisms.