Changes in Axial Length and Other Dimensions of the Eyeball With Increasing Age

Abstract

A significant reduction in axial length of the eyeball with increasing age was found when one essentially normal eye of each of 72 persons was studied (p < 0.01). In 53 of these subjects, the horizontal diameter of the cornea also became less with increasing age (p < 0.01). Lens thickness became greater and anterior chamber depth less (p < 0.001 each). “Against‐the‐rule”, rather than “with‐the‐rule” corneal astigmatism was found in old age (p < 0.001). It is suggested that such a reduction in size of cornea and of the whole eyeball with increasing age would contribute to the shallowness of the anterior chamber in old age and in angle‐closure glaucoma. A reduction in the total circumference of the trabecular meshwork available for the escape of aqueous and also a diminution in calibre of the scleral openings concerned in uveo‐scleral bulk flow would also result from a reduction in size of cornea and sclera.

Astigmatism Prevalence and Biometric Analysis in Normal Population

“…Only few of the studies aimed at assessing the correlation between other ocular biometric data in a large cohort of patients (5,7,22) The mean axial length was 23.43 mm (7), 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 the age-adjusted correlations with keratometric values, axial length, lens thickness and anterior chamber depth support the results of some previous studies (7,27,28). These changes, considered as part of aging, can partly be explained with the reduction in the length of the constituent collagen fibres in tissues (2).…”

Age-related differences in ocular biometry in adult Korean population

“…As in the present study, several studies have reported age-related decreases in AL [6, 12, 16–19]. However, other studies have reported no age-related decrease in AL [8–10], although two of the studies revealed age-related decrease in ACD [9, 10].…”

Changes in anterior segment dimensions over 4 years in a cohort of Singaporean subjects with open angles

“…The apparent change in AxL could be attributed to ageing lens effect on IOLMaster readings or possible variation during inter-visit examination or both. Interestingly, Grosvenor et al 22 suggested an emmetropising mechanism in adults causing true decrease in AxL with age while Leighton et al 23 explained that this AxL change may contribute to shallow anterior chamber with age. However, Lee et al 24 in a larger study (n=314) did not find significant AxL reduction in multivariate analysis.…”