Gender-differences in age-related changes of corneal astigmatism in Korean cataract patients

This cross-sectional study investigated age-related changes in anterior, posterior, and total corneal astigmatism and evaluated sex differences in corneal astigmatism with increasing age in cataract patients.

This study evaluated eyes with cataracts from May 2009 and July 2013. All eyes underwent a complete ophthalmological examination and corneal Scheimpflug imaging by a Pentacam camera (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany). Anterior, posterior, and total corneal astigmatism were determined. Power vector J₀ and linear regression analyses were determined and compared with respect to age and sex.

Four hundred and fifteen patients (217 men, 198 women) aged 20-89 years were evaluated. For anterior corneal astigmatism, 100% of patients who were 20-39 years old had with-the-rule (WTR) in both sexes. WTR was significantly lower in patients 80-89 years old (25.6% of men and 37.8% of women). For total corneal astigmatism, WTR also tended to decrease with increasing age: 93.3% of men and 100% of women 20-39 years old versus 20.9% of men and 31.1% of women 80-89 years old. The regression coefficient of both the anterior corneal and total corneal J₀ vector values analyzed by age were - 0.018 in men and - 0.016 in women (both p < .001).

The against-the-rule shift was faster for total corneal astigmatism than for anterior corneal astigmatism and it occurred earlier in men than in women.

Retrospectively registered. Registration number: KC15RISI0241 . Registered April 20, 2016.