Corneal and lenticular biometry in Chinese children with myopia

The measurement and simulation of corneal and lenticular curvature radii using a single swept-source biometry device enables a more thorough evaluation of the shape and refractive power of the cornea and lens during emmetropization or myopia progression in children.

This study aimed to evaluate the distribution characteristics of corneal and lenticular parameters in Chinese children with myopia and explored their association with other ocular components.

In this cross-sectional study, all ocular biometric parameters were measured using a Zeiss IOLMaster 700 Biometry. Simulations of the corneal and lenticular curvature radii were implemented using a customised MATLAB program based on cross-sectional swept-source optical coherence tomography images obtained from the same device. The associations of the calculated and simulated refractive powers of the cornea and lens with other ocular parameters were evaluated.

In total, 119 children with myopia were recruited. Boys had a deeper anterior chamber and longer axial length (AL) than girls, while girls had steeper anterior corneal and lenticular curvatures and greater corneal and lenticular power. Children aged 10 years and older showed a larger anterior lenticular radius of curvature (sR_al) and less lenticular power (P_L,OCT) than younger participants. There was a significant positive correlation between AL and the anterior corneal radius of curvature, regardless of sex or age. The sR_al exhibited a significant increasing trend, and P_L,OCT exhibited a declining trend with a longer AL only in children younger than 10 years.

AL is the most influential factor in the determination of spherical equivalent refractive error, while decreases in both corneal and crystalline lens power are significantly inversely correlated with axial elongation.