Distribution of anterior chamber angle measurements in South African young adults: an optical coherence tomography...

Assessment of anterior chamber angle (ACA) variables is important to screen, diagnose and monitor ocular anomalies. Even though data on ACA variables, such as angle-opening distance taken at 500 µm (AOD500) and trabecular-iris angle (TIA), are available in the literature, limited information is available about these variables in African sub-populations. The purpose of this study is to describe the distribution of ACA measurements (AOD500 and TIA) in a South African young adult population.

In this cross-sectional study, 700 young adults were recruited from a university student population using two-stage random sampling. The Optovue iVue 100 optical coherence tomographer was used to measure the ACA variables. The distribution of the AOD500 and TIA measurements was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Data from only the right eyes were analysed because the ACA measurements in the two eyes showed high levels of interocular symmetry.

The measurements for the nasal and temporal ACAs were asymmetrically distributed (p < 0.001). The median AOD500 measurements in the nasal and temporal angles were 539 µm and 542 µm, respectively. The median TIA measurements were similar (~ 36°) in the two horizontal angles. The temporal ACA measurements were slightly higher than the nasal ACA measurements. Females had higher median ACA measurements than males (p ≥ 0.029).

The ACA measurements in South African young adults resemble non-Gaussian curves. The ACA measurements are different from that reported in other sub-populations worldwide and most participants had ACA measurements associated with non-occludable ACAs.