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Scleral Thickness in Chinese Eyes
Ling Shen1, Qi Sheng You2, Xiaolin Xu2
1Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China 2Department of Ophthalmology, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republ.
Scleral thickness in Chinese individuals increases until age 2, then remains stable and decreases with longer axial length. Posterior scleral thinning is observed in axially elongated eyes, particularly in the posterior globe segment.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Anatomy
- Biometry
Background:
- Scleral thickness is a critical factor in ocular biomechanics and refractive development.
- Understanding age- and axial length-related changes in scleral thickness is essential for diagnosing and managing various eye conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure scleral thickness in Chinese eyes.
- To assess interregional differences in scleral thickness.
- To investigate associations between scleral thickness, age, and axial length.
Main Methods:
- Histomorphometric measurement of scleral thickness using light microscopy.
- Analysis of 281 globes from Chinese patients enucleated for retinoblastoma, uveal melanoma, or glaucoma.
- Multivariate analysis to assess associations with age and axial length.
Main Results:
- Scleral thickness increased up to age 2, then became age-independent.
- Posterior scleral thickness was associated with shorter axial length in participants aged ≥5 years.
- The ratio of posterior scleral thickness to pars plana thickness decreased significantly with increasing axial length, indicating preferential thinning in the posterior segment.
Conclusions:
- Scleral thickness development is primarily influenced by age in early childhood and by axial length in later life.
- Axial elongation is associated with scleral thinning, predominantly in the posterior globe segment.
- Scleral thickness was not significantly associated with adult glaucoma in this cohort.
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