Repeatability of OCT lens thickness measures with age and accommodation

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Optics
• Anatomical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate measurement of crystalline lens thickness (LT) is crucial for understanding ocular biomechanics and age-related changes.
• The Visante Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomographer (AS-OCT) offers a non-invasive method for assessing ocular structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in crystalline lens thickness (LT) across various ages and accommodative demands.
• To evaluate the repeatability of LT measurements using the Visante AS-OCT under non-cycloplegic conditions.

Main Methods:

• 98 visually normal adults (18-75 years) were stratified into age groups.
• Crystalline lens images were acquired using Visante AS-OCT at 0-8 D of accommodation.
• Repeatability was assessed by comparing measurements from two separate visits.

Main Results:

• Mean unaccommodated LT was 4.07 ± 0.40 mm, with an average annual increase of 20 μm.
• Significant LT increase with accommodation was observed in younger adults (18-49 years).
• Visante AS-OCT demonstrated high repeatability for LT measurements, with narrow limits of agreement.

Conclusions:

• The Visante AS-OCT provides repeatable LT measurements in the non-cyclopleged eye.
• The device can detect subtle changes in lens thickness due to accommodation.