Comparison of Refractive Status and Anterior Segment Parameters of Juvenile Open-Angle Glaucoma and Normal Subjects

Objectives: Our aim was to compare the refractive status and anterior segment parameters of patients with juvenile open-angle glaucoma (JOAG) and normal subjects.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-five recently diagnosed cases of JOAG and 24 normal subjects were included in this prospective controlled clinical trial. Central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), axial length (AL), K1 and K2 keratometry, and white-to-white distance (WTW) measurements were performed with optical biometry (LenStar LS 900, Haag Streit Diagnostics). Spherical equivalent (SE) values and anterior segment parameters were statistically compared by chi-square, Kolmogorov- Smirnov, and independent samples t-tests.

Results: The mean age of the 15 male and 10 female JOAG patients was 11.8±2.78 (8-18) years and the mean age of the 14 male and 10 female normal subjects was 11.58±3.04 (7-16) years (age: p=0.51; sex: p=0.18). Mean intraocular pressure in the JOAG group before treatment was 30.08±4.3 mmHg. The mean SE values of the JOAG and the control group were -1.94±1.86 (+2.35/-5.5) and -0.76±2.03 (+2.25/-4.85) diopters, respectively (p=0.048). JOAG patients had lower mean CCT values (p=0.016) and higher mean AL and ACD values (p=0.049 and p=0.016). There were no significant differences between the groups for LT, WTW, K1, or K2 (p=0.61; p=0.52; p=0.95; p=0.31 respectively).

Conclusion: JOAG patients were found to be more myopic and have lower CCT and greater AL and ACD values than normal subjects. These anterior segment changes may be associated with myopia, which is common in JOAG.