Corneal biomechanical properties and retinal vascular caliber in children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between corneal biomechanical properties and retinal vascular caliber in Singaporean children in a cross-sectional study of 257 healthy subjects from the Singapore Cohort Study of Risk Factors for Myopia.


METHODS
Corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), central corneal thickness (CCT), and corneal compensated intraocular pressure (IOP(CC)) were measured with a patented dynamic bi-directional applanation device. Digital retinal photography was performed, and retinal vascular caliber was measured with custom software. The central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) were calculated, representing the average arteriolar and venular calibers. Spherical equivalent (SE) refraction, axial length, height, weight, and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) were measured.


RESULTS
Mean values of this study were as follows: age of study subjects, 13.97 +/- 0.90 years; CH, 11.80 +/- 1.55 mm Hg; CRF, 11.83 +/- 1.72 mm Hg; CCT, 578.76 +/- 34.47 microm; IOP(CC), 15.12 +/- 2.84 mm Hg; CRAE, 151.70 +/- 15.54 microm; CRVE, 227.51 +/- 22.82 microm. After controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index, father's educational level, MABP, IOP, and SE, there was a significant increase in CRAE by 1.40 microm (95% CI: 0.17-2.61; P = 0.03) for every 1.55 mm Hg increase in CH and by 1.68 microm (95% CI: 0.21-3.15; P = 0.03) for every 1.72 mm Hg increase in CRF. There were no significant associations between CRVE and CH, CRF, CCT, or IOP.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower CH and CRF are associated with narrower retinal arterioles in Singaporean children.
Lim
Laurence
L
Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.
Cheung
Ning
N
Gazzard
Gus
G
Chan
Yiong-Huak
YH
Wong
Tien-Yin
TY
Saw
Seang-Mei
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D001160:Arterioles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012846:Singapore; D014699:Venules / Q000033:anatomy & histology