ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To determine the distribution of anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), and anterior chamber angle (ACA) in a rural population over 5 years of age using Pentacam.

In this cross-sectional study, samples were selected from over 1 year old inhabitants of two villages in Iran using a multi-stage cluster sampling approach. All participants had uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, auto-refraction, retinoscopy, subjective refraction, and slit lamp examination. Finally, corneal imaging with Pentacam was performed for all persons over 5 years of age.

Of the 3851 selected individuals, 3314 people participated in the study, and of these, 2681 were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Mean age of the sample was 36.03±18.5 years (range, 6 to 90 years). Mean ACD, ACA, and ACV was 3.37mm (95%CI: 3.37-3.39), 34.82 degree (95%CI: 34.45-35.2) and 159.17 µL (95%CI: 156-161.36), respectively. Our findings in the multiple linear regression models showed that ACD, ACA, ACV reduced with age, and ACD and ACV were significantly higher in males. ACA and ACV correlated inversely with central corneal thickness, while ACA correlated directly with keratometry and inversely with ACV.

This study is one of the few studies in the world showing changes in ACD in different age groups using Pentacam. Aging was associated with a decline in mean ACD, ACA, and ACV. These parameters were greatest in patients with emmetropia and smallest in those with hyperopia.