Ocular dimensions in relation to auxological data in a sample of Swedish children aged 4-15 years.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to characterize normal growth patterns of ocular and optical components and to relate them to auxological data in a sample of Swedish children aged 4-15 years.


METHODS
A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in 143 Swedish children with a mean age of 9.8 years. Variables including gestational age (GA), weight, length and head circumference (HCF) at birth and at the time of assessment were registered. Visual acuity (VA), cycloplegic refraction and biometric measures were obtained. Palpebral fissure length and inner canthal distance were measured. Optic disc morphology as seen on fundus photographs was analysed.


RESULTS
Children born more mature, with male predilection, were found to have deeper anterior and vitreous chamber depths, longer axial lengths and thinner crystalline lens thickness. No correlations were found between ocular biometric measurements and VA or refraction after adjustment for confounding variables. Inner canthal distance was significantly correlated with birth length (p = 0.03), height, weight, BMI and HCF (p = 0.0008, p = 0.0007, p = 0.037, and p = 0.04, respectively) at time of assessment. Total axial length was found to be significantly correlated with GA (p = 0.0226) and length at assessment in girls (p = 0.0084). Right optic disc and rim areas decreased with increasing age (p = 0.0078 and p = 0.0107, respectively); however, optic disc parameters were not dependent on any other variable.


CONCLUSIONS
These normative values may serve as a basis for the ocular findings and their relationship to auxological data in Caucasian children aged 4-15 years, as well as for future comparison in patients with paediatric ocular pathologies.
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology/Ophthalmology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Ophthalmology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Lina H
LH
Raffa
Ann
A
Hellström
Eva
E
Aring
Susann
S
Andersson
Marita Andersson
MA
Grönlund
D000293:Adolescent; D058452:Axial Length, Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001699:Biometry; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018568:Crown-Rump Length; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D013548:Sweden; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D044465:White People
Swedish; auxological data; biometric measures; birth weight; comparison group; gestational age; ocular growth; optic disc