CHANGES IN AXIAL LENGTH AND OTHER DIMENSIONS OF THE EYEBALL WITH INCREASING AGE

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Abstract
A significant reduction in axial length of the eyeball with increasing age was found when one essentially normal eye of each of 72 persons was studied (p < 0.01). In 53 of these subjects, the horizontal diameter of the cornea also became less with increasing age (p < 0.01). Lens thickness became greater and anterior chamber depth less (p < 0.001 each). “Against‐the‐rule”, rather than “with‐the‐rule” corneal astigmatism was found in old age (p < 0.001).It is suggested that such a reduction in size of cornea and of the whole eyeball with increasing age would contribute to the shallowness of the anterior chamber in old age and in angle‐closure glaucoma.A reduction in the total circumference of the trabecular meshwork available for the escape of aqueous and also a diminution in calibre of the scleral openings concerned in uveo‐scleral bulk flow would also result from a reduction in size of cornea and sclera.

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