Ultrasonic ocular dimensions and anthropometry in normal and myopic eyes: a case-control study

ABSTRACT Background We compared ultrasonic ocular axial length and vitreous chamber depth, and physical anthropometry in normal and myopic African adults due to sparse related data in this setting. Research design and methods This was a hospital-based, case-control study in which 175 myopes and 175 emmetropes, recruited by convenience sampling, at General Hospital Epe, Lagos, had their anthropometry and refractive status determined; and ocular axial length and vitreous chamber depth measured with A- and B-mode ocular ultrasonography. Data was analyzed using appropriate inferential statistics and level of significance set at 0.05. Results Mean ocular axial length in normal, mild, moderate and severe myopia was 22.45mm, 23.54mm, 23.79mm, and 25.56mm while mean vitreous chamber depth in normal, mild, moderate, and severe myopia was 15.45mm, 16.63mm, 16.84mm, and 18.68mm, respectively. Males had significantly longer axial length and vitreous chamber depth than females. Correlation between weight, height and BMI and refractive status among myopes was insignificant. There was consistency between A- and B-mode ultrasonography ocular axial length and vitreous chamber measurements with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.888 and 0.842, respectively (p<0.001). Conclusion Ocular axial length and vitreous chamber depth increased with the severity of myopia with no correlation of anthropometry with refractive status among African myopes.