Background:
To assess the pediatric anterior segment characteristics in ocular pathology, using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
Methods:
Our case series follows 115 eyes of 78 children aged 2 to 17 years of age with anterior segment pathology in an academic facility. A thorough eye examination and investigations were performed for each child. The anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) analysis was done using the Optopol Revo 80 high resolution SD-OCT (840 nm, axial resolution of 5 micron) using an imaging adapter. All pathological features visible on imaging were observed, studied, tabulated, and analyzed.
Results:
115 eyes of 78 children with anterior segment pathology were imaged. The average age was 11.84 years, with 44 males and 34 females. The primary clinical diagnosis was cataract (congenital and acquired) in 40 (34.8%) eyes, followed by corneal disease (congenital, inflammatory, and traumatic) in 28 (24.3%) eyes, glaucoma (juvenile and secondary) in 18 (15.7%) and trauma in 15 (13%) eyes. Systemic diseases were associated in 20.9%. The commonest imaging pathology observed was lens opacification (any morphology/location) in 43 (37.4%), increased reflectivity of the cornea in 31 (28.2%), corneal stromal thinning in 34 (29.6%), increased corneal thickness in 28 (24.3%), shallow anterior chamber in 17 (14.8%), and cells in anterior chamber in18 (15.7%) eyes, along with a multitude of other findings.
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrates that anterior segment optical coherence tomography is a useful non-contact technique used without sedation for the detailed anatomic and pathologic assessment, imaging, diagnosis, and monitoring of pediatric ocular diseases.