Distribution and associated factors of crystalline lens volume in noncataract adolescents and adults and patients with cataract in a Chinese population

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the distribution of lens volume (VOL) and its associated factors in noncataract adolescents and adults and patients with cataract in a Chinese population. Setting: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 1674 eyes from 1674 Chinese participants (690 adolescents and 363 adults without cataract, and 621 patients with cataract) aged from 7 to 90 years were included. Lens thickness (LT) and lens diameter (LD) were measured using swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (SS-AS OCT) to calculate VOL. Axial length (AL) was measured by IOL-Master 700. Pearson correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression models were used to evaluate the potential associated factors of lens dimensions. Results: The mean VOL was 167.74 ± 12.18 mm3 in noncataract adolescents, 185.20 ± 14.95 mm3 in noncataract adults, and 226.10 ± 49.25 mm3 in patients with cataract. VOL had no significant correlation with AL in patients with cataract (P > .05), neither in noncataract adolescents nor noncataract adults, when adjusted with LT, LD, age, and sex (P > .05). On the other hand, eyes with longer ALs tended to have smaller LTs and larger LDs in all groups (all P-trend < .05). Larger VOL was associated with older age in all groups (all P < .001). Conclusions: A data set of VOLs in Chinese eyes over a wide age range was presented. It is inaccurate to predict VOL, LT, and LD solely according to AL. The direct measurement and calculation of VOL in vivo and the establishment of the normal range of VOL could help predict the size of lens capsular bag and plan cataract surgery.