Ultrasound biomicroscopy findings in children eyes with nonacquired anomalies of lens shape and/or position.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report on biometric characteristics of anterior segments of children eyes suffering nonacquired abnormalities in lens shape and position.

METHODS

This case-control study was conducted on children presenting to the ophthalmology outpatient service of Alexandria Main University Hospital from September 2022 to March 2023 with developmental abnormalities in lens shape and/or position and age-matched control children presenting with congenital cataract. An initial office examination was followed by an examination under anesthesia for full clinical examination and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).

RESULTS

The study included 57 eyes of 30 children and 51 eyes of 34 age-matched control children. The mean ± standard deviation age of study and control children was 68.4 ± 48.0 and 51.6 ± 22.6 months, respectively (P = 0.0845). Study eyes had statistically significantly larger corneal diameters (CDs), axial length, and cup/disc ratios and flatter (and thinner) corneas than control eyes. The most common lens abnormality was ectopia lentis (54.4%) followed by microspherophakia (31.6%). The UBM data revealed that study eyes had significantly shallower anterior chamber (AC), narrower anterior chamber angle (ACA), thicker and smaller natural crystalline lenses, narrower native (nonpharmacologically dilated) pupils, and larger sulcus-to-sulcus distances. Eyes with microspherophakia had significantly higher intraocular pressures, larger CDs, and shallower ACs than eyes with ectopia lentis. The mean lens decentration in horizontal and vertical directions was 1.6 ± 1.1 and 1.5 ± 1.2 mm, respectively, in eyes with ectopia lentis.

CONCLUSION

The most prevalent nonacquired lens abnormalities are ectopia lentis and microspherophakia. Eyes with non-acquired abnormalities of lens shape and position have larger globes and flatter, thinner corneas than children eyes with congenital cataract.