Analysis of ocular biometry in Korean using swept-source optical coherence tomography

To evaluate and compare ocular biometric parameters in both adults and children within the Korean population using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT; IOL Master 700). Ocular biometry data were exported from SS-OCT between January 2018 and October 2021-total 6,760 eyes of 6,760 subjects (5,091 adults and 1,669 children under 18 years) which were successfully measured were included. Axial length (AL), anterior keratometry (K), total keratometry (TK), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), central corneal thickness (CCT), white to white distance (WTW) were analyzed according to sex, age, and AL groups. All parameters were significantly different between male and female (P < 0.05), with male presenting longer AL, flatter K, deeper ACD, and thicker CCT. A significant negative correlation was observed between AL and Km (r = -0.329, p < 0.001). In children (9.5 [Formula: see text] 2.8 years), AL showed a steep increase until age 11, followed by a slower growth rate, and age had significantly correlated with all parameters except LT and had the greatest significant correlation with AL (r = 0.476, p < 0.001), Meanwhile, in adults (58.7 ± 14.7 years), age and LT demonstrated the greatest significant correlation (r = 0.622, p < 0.001). In conclusion, this study revealed significant differences in ocular biometry by sex and age in the Korean population. Males exhibited larger ocular dimensions than females. With age, AL growth slowed after age 11 in children, while LT increased and ACD decreased in adults. These findings underscore the importance of considering both sex and age in clinical assessments and provide valuable data for optimizing refractive management and monitoring myopia progression.