Ocular biometry and central corneal thickness in children: a hospital-based study.

PURPOSE To investigate the distribution of axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth, and central corneal thickness in children at different age groups. METHODS We studied 364 eyes in 182 children with ages between 1 and 12 years. Axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and vitreous chamber depth were measured by ultrasound biometry. Central corneal thickness was measured by ultrasound pachymetry in all children. RESULTS The mean age was 6.54 ・} 3.42 years. The axial length was 20.95 mm in 1-2 years old and 22.95 mm in 11-12 years old. The central corneal thickness was 556 μm in 1-2 years old and 555 μm in 11-12 years old. The mean anterior chamber depth and vitreous chamber depth increased with age (3.06 mm to 3.44 mm in anterior chamber depth, 13.75 mm to 15.99 mm in vitreous chamber depth), and the lens thickness decreased as age increased (3.67-3.51 mm). CONCLUSION The axial length increased with age and reached adult levels by the age of 9-10 years. The lens thickness gradually decreased until 12 years. The central corneal thickness measurements did not yield a linear algorithm.