Age and positional effect on the anterior chamber angle: assessment by ultrasound biomicroscopy

Purpose. To investigate age- and position-related changes of anterior chamber angle anatomy in normal, healthy eyes. Patients and Methods. Thirty subjects were separated into a younger and older cohort. The superior and inferior anterior chamber angles of the eyes were measured in supine and sitting positions by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) with bag/balloon technology. Statistical analysis was used to evaluate positional and age-related changes in angle morphology. Results. In the younger cohort, no location or positional differences in angle anatomy were observed. In the older cohort, the inferior quadrant was significantly narrower than the superior quadrant (P = 0.0186) in the supine position. This cohort also demonstrated an interaction effect between position and location. In the older cohort, the angle was deeper inferiorly while the subject was sitting but was deeper superiorly while the subject was supine. Conclusion. Comparison of positional variations in anterior chamber angle anatomy as measured by UBM has recently become possible. This study found that age-related positional changes in the anterior chamber angle anatomy exist in normal healthy eyes.