Relation Between Near Work and Ocular Biometric Components

Abstract

To determine the association between ocular biometric components and near work in bank employees.This study was conducted as an analytical cross-sectional study. A group of bank employees and a control group were randomly selected. After applying the inclusion criteria, all selected subjects had a set of examinations including refraction, uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, slit lamp biomicroscopy and ophthalmoscopy. Then ocular biometric indices were measured using a Nidek biometer (US 800).Mean spherical equivalent was -0.53 (95%CI: -0.7 to -0.36) diopter (D) in bank employees and 0.09(95%CI: -0.05 to 0.23) D in the control group(p<0.001). After adjusting for age and gender, axial length and vitreous chamber depth were significantly longer in bank employees. In a logistic regression model, near work significantly correlated with increasing axial length 1.89(95%CI: 1.3 to 2.75) and decreasing corneal radius of curvature 0.22 (95%CI: 0.08 to 0.63) after adjusting for age, gender, and refractive error. A second model showed longer axial lengths 1.9(95%CI: 1.31 to 2.75), thicker lenses 1.96 (95%CI: 1.1 to 3.49), and smaller corneal radii of curvature 0.22 (0.08 to 0.63) among bank employees.  Corneal curvature and axial length correlated more strongly with axial length in bank employees compared to the control group. In this study we showed that ocular biometric components, especially axial length, lens thickness, and corneal radius of curvature, significantly differ between people with a history of near work and those without one.