Comparison of Ocular Biometry Profiles in Urban and Rural Cataract Candidates in Eastern China

Purpose. To compare ocular biometric parameters between urban and rural cataract patients in Shanghai, China. Methods. A study of ocular biometry records from urban and rural hospitals was performed for cataract patients at least 50 years of age. The ocular biometrical parameters, which were measured with partial coherence laser interferometry (IOL Master, Zeiss), were axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), radius of corneal curvature (K, including steep/flat/average K), astigmatism, and axis. Only the right eye record of each patient was analysed. Results. Ocular biometric data included 2839 urban patients (73.15 ± 9.54 years) and 2646 rural patients (73.64 ± 7.32 years). Mean AL, ACD, and K were 24.35 ± 2.34 mm, 3.14 ± 0.58 mm, and 44.38 ± 1.52 D, respectively, in urban patients and 23.58 ± 1.70 mm, 3.08 ± 0.57 mm, and 44.53 ± 1.50 D, respectively, in rural patients. The urban subjects had significantly longer axial lengths (in both univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses) and deeper ACDs (in univariate analysis) than rural subjects p