Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2025
Comparison of Three Clinical Stereoscopic Methods for Measuring Binocular Visual Function During Amblyopic Treatment in Unilateral Amblyopia
Published on: September 27, 2024
Longitudinal development of ocular biometric components and refractive error in children with hyperopic anisometropia
Jingyun Wang1, Reed M Jost2, Brooke A Koritala2
1State University of New York College of Optometry, New York City, New York, USA.
Insights
In children with hyperopic anisometropia, the more hyperopic eye shows slower axial elongation compared to the less hyperopic eye. This difference is particularly pronounced in amblyopic eyes, impacting refractive development.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Optometry
- Ocular Development
Background:
- Hyperopic anisometropia, a condition where one eye is significantly more farsighted than the other, affects visual development in children.
- Understanding the longitudinal changes in ocular components is crucial for managing refractive errors and preventing amblyopia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the longitudinal changes in spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and ocular biometric components between the more hyperopic (MoreH) and less hyperopic (LessH) eyes in children with hyperopic anisometropia.
- To investigate the influence of amblyopia on these developmental changes.
Main Methods:
- Prospective longitudinal study of 36 children (4 to <13 years) with hyperopic anisometropia.
- Measurement of SER, axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and keratometry (K).
- Linear mixed-effects modeling to compare the rates of change in ocular components between MoreH and LessH eyes.
Main Results:
- The MoreH eyes exhibited slower changes in SER (-0.11 D/year) compared to LessH eyes (-0.31 D/year).
- Axial elongation (AL) and the AL/CR ratio were significantly slower in MoreH eyes.
- Anisometropia increased with age in amblyopic children but decreased in non-amblyopic children.
Conclusions:
- Axial elongation progresses more slowly in the more hyperopic eye than the less hyperopic eye in children with hyperopic anisometropia.
- This slower elongation in MoreH eyes is particularly evident in cases of amblyopia.
- These findings highlight differential ocular growth patterns in hyperopic anisometropia, with implications for visual development and management strategies.
Purpose:
To compare the longitudinal development of spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and ocular biometric components in the more hyperopic (MoreH) and less hyperopic (LessH) eyes of children with hyperopic anisometropia.
Methods:
This prospective longitudinal study included 36 children aged 4 to <13 years with hyperopic anisometropia without strabismus. Based on a best-corrected interocular visual acuity difference ≥0.20 logMAR, participants were classified as amblyopic (N = 31) or non-amblyopic (N = 5). SER was derived from cycloplegic refraction and anisometropia was defined as an interocular SER difference ≥1 D. Axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and keratometry (K1, K2) were obtained. Corneal curvature (CR) was calculated and the AL/CR ratio determined. Mean follow-up was 3.7 ± 1.4 years, with 5.8 ± 2.4 visits per child. A linear mixed-effects model estimated the rate of change for SER and the ocular components, comparing the MoreH and LessH eyes.
Results:
Baseline anisometropia was 2.66 ± 1.22 D. There were significant differences between the MoreH and LessH eyes for baseline AL, ACD and AL/CR (all p < 0.05). SER change with age was slower for the MoreH than the LessH eyes (-0.11 vs. -0.31 D/year, p < 0.001). The rates of change for AL (0.11 vs. 0.19 mm/year, p < 0.05) and AL/CR (0.01 vs. 0.02, p < 0.001) also were slower for the MoreH eyes. Anisometropia increased with age in the amblyopic subgroup (0.08 D/year) and decreased in the non-amblyopic subgroup (-0.17/D/year; p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
In children with hyperopic anisometropia, axial elongation was slower in the MoreH than in the LessH eyes, particularly in those with amblyopia.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Focusing of Light in the Eye
01:17Accessory Structures of the Eye