The Hudson-Stahli line. I: An epidemiological study.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Human Anatomy

Background:

• The Hudson-Stahli line is a common finding in the human eye.
• Its prevalence and characteristics in relation to iris color and age are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of the Hudson-Stahli line in a large cohort.
• To investigate the association between Hudson-Stahli line characteristics (prevalence, length, density) and iris color, age, and bilaterality.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 550 subjects.
• Data collection on the presence, laterality, length, and density of the Hudson-Stahli line.
• Analysis of subgroups based on iris color (blue/grey vs. brown/green).

Main Results:

• Overall prevalence of the Hudson-Stahli line was 65% (bilateral) + 4% (unilateral).
• Incidence and line characteristics (length, density) increase with age, irrespective of iris color.
• Slightly higher incidence observed in brown/green eyes, particularly between the third and fifth decades.
• Brown/green eyes exhibited longer lines than blue/grey eyes at similar densities.
• High concordance (approx. 80%) in line length and density between paired eyes.

Conclusions:

• The Hudson-Stahli line is highly prevalent and its occurrence, length, and density are significantly influenced by age.
• Iris color plays a role, with a higher incidence and longer lines noted in brown/green eyes.
• The findings provide valuable demographic and morphological data on the Hudson-Stahli line.