Comparison of ocular biometric parameters between Hispanic and non-Hispanic ethnicities

Abstract

Purpose : To compare ocular biometric parameters between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations among adult patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Methods : This retrospective study included 433 adult patients who underwent surgery for senile cataract. Only patients with self-reported ethnicities of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white were included. We excluded those with a history of anterior segment surgeries or abnormalities. The following parameters as measured by the IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany) were compared between Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients: mean keratometry, corneal astigmatism, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous length, axial length, white-to-white diameter, and emmetropic intraocular lens power. Average of both eyes of each patient was used for analysis.

Results : There were 219 Hispanic and 214 non-Hispanic patients with a mean age of 70.1 ± 7.7 years (range, 50 to 88 years), and 66.7% were females. Although sex distribution was similar between the two groups, Hispanic patients had a lower age compared to non-Hispanics (69.3 ± 8.3 vs 70.9 ± 6.9 years, P=0.02). In biometric values, anterior chamber depth was significantly lower in Hispanics (3.067 ± 0.403 mm) than in non-Hispanics (3.159 ± 0.367 mm, P=0.013). Such statistically significant difference persisted even after adjustment for age (P=0.004). No other significant differences were found in other ocular parameters measured. Hispanics had a higher percentage of corneal with-the-rule astigmatism (29.7% vs 26.2%) and a lower percentage of corneal against-the-rule astigmatism (23.7% vs 28.0%); however, the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions : Anterior chamber depth is significantly lower in Hispanics compared with non-Hispanics. Such ethnic difference should be considered when performing cataract and corneal surgeries as it may be associated with a higher risk of corneal endothelial injury.

This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.