title: Relationship between lenticular power and refractive error in children with hyperopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the contribution of axial length, and lenticular and corneal power to the spherical equivalent refractive error in children with hyperopia between 3 and 13 years of age, using noncontact optical biometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 62 children between 3 and 13 years of age with hyperopia (+2 diopters [D] or more) who underwent automated refraction measurement with cycloplegia, to measure spherical equivalent refractive error and corneal power. Axial length was measured using an optic biometer that does not require contact with the cornea. The refractive power of the lens was calculated using the Sanders-Retzlaff-Kraff formula. Single regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation among the optical parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant positive correlation between age and axial length (P = 0.0014); however, the degree of hyperopia did not decrease with aging (P = 0.59). There was a significant negative correlation between age and the refractive power of the lens (P = 0.0001) but not that of the cornea (P = 0.43). A significant negative correlation was observed between the degree of hyperopia and lenticular power (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this study is small scale and cross sectional, the analysis, using noncontact biometry, showed that lenticular power was negatively correlated with refractive error and age, indicating that lower lens power may contribute to the degree of hyperopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukuiken, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomomatsu
authors.forename: Shinjiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arimura
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomomatsu
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takihara
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inatani
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takamura
keywords: axial length; emmetropization