Relationship between Refractive Error and Ocular Biometry in Secondary School Students.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Optometry
• Public Health

Background:

• Understanding refractive error and ocular biometry in African children is vital for preventing visual impairments.
• Early detection and management strategies require robust data on ocular parameters in young populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the distribution of ocular biometry parameters in Nigerian school children.
• To identify factors associated with spherical equivalent refraction (SE) in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involved 295 secondary school students (ages 10-19) in Nigeria.
• Ocular measurements (axial length, corneal radius, anterior chamber depth, etc.) were taken using IOL Master.
• Refractive error was assessed via autorefraction and subjective refraction.

Main Results:

• 37% of students had refractive errors, with astigmatism being most common.
• Spherical equivalent refraction (SE) showed significant negative correlations with axial length, anterior chamber depth, and horizontal corneal diameter.
• Myopic students exhibited longer axial lengths, deeper anterior chambers, and lower keratometric readings.

Conclusions:

• Axial length, anterior chamber depth, and horizontal corneal diameter are significant predictors of spherical equivalent refraction.
• These biometric parameters are inversely related to refractive error, highlighting their importance in visual health assessments.