The relationship between ocular dimensions and refraction with adult stature: The Tanjong Pagar survey

PURPOSE. To describe the association of ocular dimensions and refraction wi th adult stature. METHODS. This was a population-based cross-sectional survey of adult Chines e aged 40 to 81 years residing in the Tanjong Pagar district in Singapore. As part of the examination, ocular dimensions, including axial length, ante rior chamber depth, lens thickness, and vitreous chamber depth, were measur ed using an A-mode ultrasound device. Corneal radius and refraction were de termined with an autorefractor, with refraction further refined subjectivel y. Height tin meters) and weight tin kilograms) were measured using a stand ardized protocol, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight divide d by the square of the height (kilograms per square meter). RESULTS. Data on ocular biometry, refraction, height, and weight were avail able on 951 (55.4%) participants with phakic eyes. After controlling for ag e, sex, education, occupation, housing type, income, and weight, it was fou nd that taller persons were more likely to have longer axial lengths (+0.23 mm longer axial length, for every 0.10 m difference in height), deeper ant erior chambers (+0.07 mm), thinner lenses (-0.09 mm), longer vitreous chamb ers (+0.26 mm), and flatter corneas (+0.09 mm longer corneal radius), altho ugh refractions were similar. In contrast, heavier persons tended to have m ore hyperopic refractions (+0.22 D for every 10 kg difference in weight, +0 .56 D for every 10 kg/m(2) difference in BMT) but similar ocular dimensions . CONCLUSIONS. Adult height is independently related to ocular dimensions, bu t does not appear to influence refraction. Thus, although taller persons at e more likely to have longer globes, they also tend to have deeper anterio r chambers, thinner lenses, and flatter corneas. Conversely, weight is inde pendently related to refraction, although the exact biometric component res ponsible for this association is not apparent.