Corneal Biomechanical Characteristics and Correlation Analysis in Children With Different Refractive States

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Pediatric Optometry

Background:

• Adolescent refractive status is influenced by various factors.
• Understanding corneal biomechanics is crucial for assessing visual development.
• Myopia progression in children requires early detection and prediction methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between corneal biomechanical characteristics and refractive status in children aged 5-13 years.
• To identify potential biomechanical predictors of myopia progression in this age group.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study of 339 children (aged 5-13) with spherical equivalents (SE) ranging from -6.00 to +2.00 diopters.
• Measurements included axial length (AL), corneal biomechanical parameters (Corvis ST), and anterior segment parameters (Pentacam).
• Subjects were categorized into moderate myopia, mild myopia, and emmetropia groups based on SE.

Main Results:

• Moderate myopia showed significantly lower A2V values and higher PD compared to mild myopia and emmetropia.
• Emmetropia exhibited the highest SSI, with values decreasing in mild and moderate myopia groups.
• Age-related trends indicated decreasing A2V and increasing PD with age, while SSI decreased.
• Axial length (AL) positively correlated with PD and negatively with SSI and A2V; SE positively correlated with A2V and SSI, and negatively with PD.

Conclusions:

• Corneal stiffness appears to decrease as spherical equivalent (SE) increases, suggesting a link between reduced corneal rigidity and myopia.
• Changes in SSI, PD, and A2V are statistically significant and show potential as predictive markers for myopia progression in adolescents.
• These biomechanical parameters offer valuable insights into the development and progression of refractive errors in young children.