Measurement of extraocular horizontal muscle insertion distance via anterior segment optical coherence tomography of healthy children and comparison with healthy adults.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the corneal limbus-extraocular muscle insertion distance (LID), via anterior segment optical coherence tomography, in healthy children and healthy adults and to compare the results of the measurements of the two groups.

Methods: Muscle limbus distances were measured using AS-OCT in 60 healthy cases in two groups. Children aged 8-13 years were evaluated as group 1, and healthy adults aged 25-30 years were evaluated as group 2. Measurements of 120 horizontal muscles were taken by one doctor (OBO). The values were compared according to age and gender groups, and correlation between LID measurements and spherical equivalent. Statistical evaluation was performed using SPSS 16 for Windows with the Student's t test and Pearson correlation coefficient test.

Results: LID measurements for MR and for lateral rectus (LR) were 5.74 ± 0.75 and 6.74 ± 1.11 mm, in the pediatric age-group, and 5.73 ± 0.75 and 6.84 ± 1.15 mm, in the adult age-group, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of MR distances. There was a slight increase in the adult values, for the LR distance. There was no significant difference in terms of gender. Correlation was found 0.62 for MR and 0.46 for LR between LID measurements and spherical equivalent in the pediatric age-group.

Conclusions: In healthy individuals, different imaging modalities can be used to measure LID, but AS-OCT can be used in pediatric age-groups as a preferred imaging method because it is easy and noninvasive.