Lens thickness of Indian eyes: impact of isolated lens opacity, age, axial length, and influence on anterior chamber depth

Abstract

Purpose: To report relationship of age group and axial length (AL) category to lens thickness values in eyes with a clear lens or different types of isolated cataract (nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular (PSC)). Further, we evaluated lens thickness values on anterior chamber depth (ACD) in these eyes.

Design: Observational clinic-based study.MethodsAn observational study of 1442 eyes of 1442 individuals (816 eyes with isolated cataract and 626 eyes with clear lens) of those above 25 years of age was evaluated. AL and lens thickness were performed with an A-scan ultrasound after dilatation of the pupil, and manual optical pachymetry was used to measure ACD after dilatation of the pupil.

Main outcome measures: Lens thickness.

Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that with each decade of advancement in age, the lens thickness increased by 0.155 mm (P<0.001). The difference in lens thickness after adjusting for age group and AL category was less in cortical cataract by -0.25 mm (P<0.001) and PSC by -0.29 mm (P<0.001); With advancement in AL category, lens thickness decreased by 0.004 mm (P<0.001). After adjusting for all the parameters/variables, regression analysis revealed that as lens thickness increased, there was a significant decrease in ACD (mean -0.44 mm; P<0.001).

Conclusions: Lens thickness was significantly greater in clear lenses when compared with isolated cataracts-greatest with nuclear cataract and least with PSC. Age group and AL category had a significant impact on the lens thickness of both cataract and clear lens. A significant decrease in ACD was found with the increase in lens thickness.