Measurement of anterior segment parameters in Saudi adults with myopia.

Purpose: To measure anterior segment parameters of the eye in myopic Saudi population using Pentacam.

Method: This is retrospective cross-sectional study. Subjects were divided into three groups: low, moderate and high myopia groups. Anterior segment parameters including: central corneal thickness (CCT), thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), apex corneal thickness (Apex CT), corneal volume (CV), anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV) and corneal astigmatism (CA) were measured by Pentacam.

Results: A total of 504 eyes of 252 Saudi subjects with myopia were included in this study. The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of subjects was 28.73 ± 6.18 years. The mean CCT, TCT, Apex CT, CV, ACD, ACV and CA for all myopic subjects were 557.21 ± 29.36, 554.09 ± 29.28, 556.10 ± 37.06, 61.30 ± 3.23 μm, 3.31 ± 0.27 mm, 211.15 ± 34.22 mm and 0.89 ± 0.52 D, respectively. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were found between right and left eyes in all anterior segment parameters of all myopic eyes. However, a significant difference (P < 0.05) was found in ACD between low (3.27 ± 0.26 mm) and moderate (3.35 ± 0.30 mm) myopic groups. Within low myopia group, significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in ACD, ACV and CA between different genders. Anterior chamber depth and ACV values were lower in females while CA was lower in males. In addition, significant positive correlation was found between ACV and ACD in all myopic groups.

Conclusion: This study provided valuable measurements of the anterior segments parameters of the eye in myopic Saudi population. These parameters could be useful for ophthalmic practitioners in the clinic.