Three-year changes in ocular biometric components in children with amblyopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric ophthalmology
• Ocular development

Background:

• Amblyopia (lazy eye) is linked to structural eye differences, but long-term data are scarce.
• This study investigated three-year changes in ocular biometrics in children with and without amblyopia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare longitudinal changes in ocular biometric components over three years.
• To identify specific biometric alterations associated with amblyopia in primary school students.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study in northeast Iran (2015-2018) with 4968 primary students.
• Measured axial length, keratometry, anterior chamber depth, lens power, and vitreous chamber depth using Lenstar LS900.
• Employed multilevel mixed-effects regression models to analyze biometric changes.

Main Results:

• Amblyopic eyes exhibited significantly greater axial elongation (0.37 mm) and vitreous chamber depth increase (0.36 mm) over three years.
• Anterior chamber depth remained constant in amblyopic eyes but decreased in non-amblyopic eyes.
• Significant changes in keratometry and lens power were observed in amblyopic eyes.

Conclusions:

• Amblyopia is associated with distinct, significant changes in key ocular biometric parameters.
• These findings provide crucial insights into the underlying structural alterations in amblyopic eyes.