[Correlation between refraction and axial length in Albinos]

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between refraction and ocular axial length in albinos.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional, analytical study was carried out from June to November 2021 at the Central Hospital of Yaounde (Cameroon), which included consenting albino subjects aged over 15years. All subjects underwent visual acuity testing, axial length measurements and objective refraction under cycloplegia.

Results: We included 51 albino subjects. The mean age was 26.06±9.47years, and the sex ratio was 0.5. Type 2 oculocutaneous albinism (OCA2) was predominant, representing 82.4% of cases. The mean uncorrected visual acuity was 0.93±0.25 logMAR, and the most common ametropia was myopic astigmatism (52.9%). The mean axial length was 24.65±2.54mm with extremes of 21.54 and 30.33mm. Eyes with myopia and myopic astigmatism had significantly longer axial lengths than those with hyperopic and mixed astigmatism. A strong, significant negative correlation (r=-0.93; P˂0.001) between the spherical component of the refraction and axial length was found.

Conclusion: The spherical component of the refraction decreases significantly with increasing axial length in albinos.

Keywords: Albino; Albinos; Ametropia; Amétropie; Axial length; Longueur axiale; Refraction; Réfraction.