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Relationship between Refractive Error and Ocular Biometry in Secondary School Students
I A Okorie1, S A Badmus1,2, B O Adegbehingbe1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria E-mail: idowu.akinya@yahoo.com, Tel: +234-8034172795.
Background:
Exploring the relationship between refractive error and ocular biometry in young African school children is essential for early detection, prevention, and management of visual impairments.
Objectives:
This study aimed to profile the distribution of ocular biometry parameters and to identify correlates of spherical equivalent refraction (SE) among school children in Nigeria.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 295 secondary school students aged 10-19 years in Ife Central Local Government Area. Ocular measurements, including axial length, corneal radius of curvature, keratometric readings, anterior chamber depth, and horizontal corneal diameter, were obtained using the IOL Master. Refractive error was assessed with an autorefractor, and subjective refraction was also performed on all participants.
Results:
Out of the total participants, 109 students (37.0%) had refractive errors, comprising 43.1% males and 56.9% females. Astigmatism was the most common type of refractive error, found in 75 students (68.8%), followed by myopia in 22 (20.2%) and hypermetropia in 12 (11.0%). The median (IQR) axial length was 23.4 (0.8) mm. The average keratometric reading and average corneal radius of curvature were 43.5 ± 1.4 diopters and 7.8 ± 0.2 mm, respectively. The median (IQR) anterior chamber depth, horizontal corneal diameter and spherical equivalent refraction were 3.3 (0.3) mm, 12.2 (0.8) mm and -0.8 (1.3) diopters, respectively. Myopic students had longer axial lengths, deeper anterior chambers, and lower average keratometric readings. Spherical equivalent refraction was significantly negatively correlated with axial length (r = -0.147, p < 0.011), anterior chamber depth (r = -0.130, p < 0.026), and horizontal corneal diameter (r = -0.119, p < 0.042). A positive but non-significant correlation was observed with average keratometric reading (r = 0.009, p = 0.872).
Conclusion:
Axial length, anterior chamber depth, and horizontal corneal diameter showed significant inverse relationships with spherical equivalent refraction.
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