Measurement of the anterior chamber angle according to quadrants and age groups using Pentacam Scheimpflug camera.
OBJECTIVE
This present study aims to investigate the changes in the anterior chamber angle width according to quadrants and age with Pentacam Scheimpflug rotating camera.


METHODS
Both eyes of 110 healthy outpatients, selected randomly, were included in this prospective study between March 2009 and June 2009. The patients were divided into 3 age groups: group 1 (≤ 20 y; n=80 eyes), group 2 (21 to 40 y; n=66 eyes), and group 3 (≥ 41 y; n=74 eyes). Angle widths of 12 points (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300, and 330 degrees) were measured in each eye. The angle width of the superior nasal quadrant (SNQ), superior temporal quadrant (STQ), inferior nasal quadrant, and inferior temporal quadrant were determined according to arithmetical mean of measurements.


RESULTS
No significant difference was observed between groups 1 and 2, in terms of the angle widths in all quadrants, for both right and left eyes. However, the angle widths in all quadrants were significantly lower in group 3 than in the other 2 groups (P<0.05). Intragroup analysis was performed to evaluate the differences between the angle widths in all quadrants for the right and left eyes. Among the patients in groups 1 and 3, no significant difference, in the terms of angle width, was found between the quadrants neither in the right nor in the left eye. In group 2, STQ was significantly narrower than the inferior quadrants in the right eye. However, no significant difference was found between the SNQ and the other quadrants. In addition, no significant difference was detected between the inferior quadrants in the right eye. In group 2, SNQ was significantly narrower than the inferior quadrants in the left eye. However, there was no significant difference between the STQ and the other quadrants. In addition, no significant difference was detected between the inferior quadrants in the left eye.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is the first study that assessed the angle depth in different age groups in 4 quadrants with the highest number of measurements, and the outcomes show that the angle becomes narrower with time and except for the young adults there is no difference between the angle depths in quadrants.
Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, 3rd Clinic of Ophthalmology, Ankara, Turkey. drmukoc@hotmail.com
Mustafa
M
Koç
Kemal
K
Özülken
Orhan
O
Ayar
Ahmet
A
Karakurt
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055815:Young Adult