Profile of Axial length in Kashmiri population with cataract

Abstract

Background: Axial length (AL) of human eye is an important indicator of various refractive errors like myopia and hypermetropia. Myopia is characterized by longer AL and hypermetropia by a smaller AL. It’s well known that myopes have increased risk of retinal pathologies like tears, retial detachment, staphylomas and age related macular degeneration; whereas hypermetropes who have a shallow anterior chamber and crowding of anterior segment have an increased risk of angle closure glaucoma. Aims & Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine normal range of the AL and refractive status of adult population in Kashmir who had cataract. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in the post graduate department of ophthalmology at the associated hospital of Government Medical College, Srinagar in which a sample of consecutive 903 adult patients, who were due for cataract surgery, was included. The AL was measured using A-Scan ultrasound. Results: Out of 903 patients, 828 had average AL of 22.48 mm. Males had an average AL of 22.66 and Females had 22.59mm. Approximately 91.66 % of subjects were seen to be emmetropes, myopes constituted 7.24% (average AL of 26.25 mm) and hypermetropes about 1.1% (average AL of 19.15 mm). Patients in the age group 40-60 years and 60-80 years had average AL of 22.74 mm and 22.52 mm respectively. Conclusion: The study showed a slightly higher AL for male population, with a slight decline in AL with increasing age.