Refractive error and axial length in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the ocular axial length and refractive error as risk factors for development of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).


METHODS
This prospective study included 78 patients with NAION and 80 normal volunteers. Axial length and refractive error of NAION eyes were compared with the normal fellow eyes and control eyes.


RESULTS
The 2 groups were frequency matched by sex and age. The mean refractive error (in spherical equivalent) was -0.07 +/- 1.60 diopters (D) in NAION eyes, 0.00 +/- 1.6 D in normal fellow eyes (P = 0.7), and -0.04 +/- 1.1 D in control eyes (P = 0.9). No significant difference was found between axial length measurements of NAION eyes (22.86 +/- 0.82 mm) and fellow eyes (22.80 +/- 0.88 mm; P = 0.8) and control eyes (23.1 +/- 0.78 mm; P = 0.1). Most of the NAION eyes (50%) were emmetropic (between +0.5 and -0.5 D).


CONCLUSIONS
Axial length and refractive error may not be risk factors in NAION.
Eye Research Center, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14455-364, Iran. drghasemi@yahoo.com
Khalil Ghasemi
KG
Falavarjani
Mostafa Soltan
MS
Sanjari
Mehdi
M
Modarres
Farzaneh
F
Aghamohammadi
Mohammad
M
Oladi
Mohammad Reza
MR
Razeghinejad
Zahra
Z
Nezamaldini
D000328:Adult; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000150:complications*