title: Large variations in ocular dimensions in a multiethnic population with similar genetic background.
abstract: We aimed to describe the ethnic variations in ocular dimensions among three ethnic groups with similar genetic ancestry from mainland of China. We included 2119 ethnic Bai, 2202 ethnic Yi and 2183 ethnic Han adults aged 50 years or older in the study. Ocular dimensions including axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), vitreous chamber depth (VCD) and lens thickness (LT) were measured using A-scan ultrasonography. Bai Chinese had longer ALs (P < 0.001), deeper ACDs (P < 0.001) but shallower VCDs (P < 0.001) compared with the other two ethnic groups. There were no ethnic variations in LTs. Diabetes was associated with shallower ACDs and this association was stronger in Bai Chinese compared with Yi or Han Chinese (P for interaction = 0.02). Thicker lenses were associated with younger age (P = 0.04), male gender (P < 0.001), smoking history (P = 0.01), alcohol intake (P = 0.03), the presence of cataract (P < 0.001), and the presence of diabetes (P < 0.001). There were significant differences in ocular dimensions among different ethnic groups with small differences in genetics but large variations in cultures and lifestyles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First People's Hospital of Kunming City, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Zhonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Yuansheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chen-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D000068617:Genetic Background; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged