Feasibility and repeatability of ocular biometry measured with Lenstar LS 900 in a large group of children and adolescents

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility and repeatability of Lenstar LS 900 biometry measurements in a paediatric population. Methods Children were examined as part of the LIFE Child Study (Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases), a population‐based study in Leipzig, Germany. Altogether, 1917 children, aged from 3.5 to 17.5 years, were assessed with the Haag Streit Lenstar LS 900. Three consecutive measurements of the right eye were analysed for axial length, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, aqueous depth, lens thickness and flat and steep corneal radii. The number of successful measurements and repeatability were evaluated for each parameter and three age bands (3.5 to 6.5 years, 6.5 to 10.5 years and 10.5 to 17.5 years). Results Best measurement feasibility was found for axial length and central corneal thickness (91% to 100%), followed by flat and steep corneal radii (86% to 100%), anterior chamber and aqueous depth (76% to 92%) and lens thickness (50% to 81%), with higher numbers for older children. Repeatability values (in mm) were: axial length 0.025 to 0.035; central corneal thickness 0.003 to 0.027; aqueous depth 0.024 to 0.058; anterior chamber 0.024 to 0.054; lens thickness 0.034 to 0.067. An overall trend showed better repeatability for older children, especially for central corneal thickness, aqueous depth and lens thickness. Conclusions For ocular biometry in the paediatric population, axial length, central corneal thickness, flat and steep corneal radii can be measured very reliably even in children from 4 years old onward using the Lenstar LS 900. Lens thickness can be quantified in a limited number of younger children. Repeatability was high for all variables investigated. Repeatability improved with age, reaching adult values in the adolescent age band. Established repeatability limits can be applied in future studies as a quality parameter.

Ocular biometry in children and adolescents from 4 to 17 years: a cross‐sectional study in central Germany

“…The calculated standard deviation needed to be smaller than the repeatability limit estimated in a previous study. 29 These repeatability limits were available for three different age bands: i.e., from 3.50 to 6.49 years, 6.50 to 10.49 years and 10.50 to 17.49 years, and were applied accordingly to our present data. Readings with standard deviations larger than the respective repeatability limit were excluded.…”

“…27 Previously, only A-scan ultrasound biometers enabled measurements of axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and central corneal thickness. Today, other methods are available for the measurement of ocular biometry with better precision than A-scan ultrasound; for background of those methods see the review by Koumbo Mekountchou et al 28 Non-contact optical methods provide highly repeatable measurements, [29][30][31] offering a major advantage when assessing ocular biometry components in childhood.…”

Seeing beyond 2020: what next for refractive error care?

“…Monitoring eye growth requires accurate, precise and repeatable technology. In a complementary study, Rauscher et al 18 contend that the Lenstar LS 900 is a feasible and reliable tool to monitor these biometry measurements. Chamberlain et al report on axial elongation over 3 years among treated and untreated progressing myopes alongside emmetropic children, and conclude that axial elongation in optically-based myopia control treatments tracks that of normal eye growth in emmetropes.…”

“…Monitoring eye growth requires accurate, precise and repeatable technology. In a complementary study, Rauscher et al 18 . contend that the Lenstar LS 900 is a feasible and reliable tool to monitor these biometry measurements.…”

The binocular intraocular lens power difference in eyes with different axial lengths

“…This phenomenon could be attributed to both the potential incongruence of IOL power calculation related to binocular parameters [especially anterior chamber depth (ACD) and lens thickness (LT) for effective lens position estimation] and the accuracy of IOL power calculation formulas used in each study [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] . The Lenstar LS900 (Haag-Streit Diagnostics, Köniz, Switzerland) has been available since 2008 [8][9][10] . It is based on optical low-coherence reflectometry; it can measure axial length (AL), ACD, and LT etc., in a single scan [3] .…”