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Distribution of Axial Length before Cataract Surgery in Chinese Pediatric Patients
Haotian Lin1, Duoru Lin1, Jingjing Chen1
1State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People´s Republic of China.
Insights
Axial length in congenital cataract (CC) patients shows varied development, with significant growth changes around age 2. Factors like sex and laterality also influence eyeball length in pediatric CC cases.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Human Anatomy
Background:
- Axial length (AL) is crucial for eyeball development.
- Limited data exists on axial length in congenital cataract (CC) patients and demographic correlations.
- Understanding AL in CC is vital for surgical timing and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate axial length (AL) in pediatric congenital cataract (CC) patients.
- To analyze the relationship between AL and patient demographics (age, sex, laterality).
- To establish a reference for AL distribution in CC for surgical planning.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 1,586 Chinese patients (≤18 years) undergoing cataract surgery (2005-2014).
- Analysis of 3,172 eyes to calculate logarithmic correlation between AL and age.
- Comparison of AL based on age, sex, and laterality (unilateral vs. bilateral CC).
Main Results:
- A logarithmic correlation between AL and age was identified in CC patients.
- Age 2 years marked a turning point in the AL growth rate.
- Boys aged 2-6 years had longer AL than girls.
- In unilateral CC, the affected eye had longer AL than the contralateral eye (2-6 years) and longer than eyes in bilateral CC patients (all ages).
- Significant variation in AL was observed among CC patients of the same age.
Conclusions:
- Axial length development in congenital cataract patients is influenced by age, sex, and laterality.
- Age is a significant factor, with a notable growth rate change around 2 years.
- AL distribution provides a valuable reference for determining optimal surgical timing in pediatric CC.
Abstract:
Axial length (AL) is a significant indicator of eyeball development, but reports on the overall status of axial development in congenital cataract (CC) patients and its relationship with patient demographics, such as age, sex, and laterality, are rare. We prospectively investigated the AL of 1,586 patients ≤ 18 years old and undergoing cataract surgery in China from January 2005 to December 2014. Of these 3,172 eyes, a logarithmic correlation between AL and age in CC patients was calculated, and an age of approximately 2 years was found to be a turning point in the growth rate of AL. A considerable variation was observed in CC patients of the same age. Furthermore, 2-6 years old boys had longer AL than girls. The AL of affected eye in unilateral patients was longer than that of the contralateral eye in 2-6 years age group and longer than that of eye in bilateral CC patients in all age groups. These findings indicate that the development of the length of eyeballs in CC patients is influenced by multiple factors in addition to age. A full understanding of the distribution of AL may provide a useful reference for judging the timing of surgery in CC patients.
