Ciliary muscle and anterior segment characteristics in pre‐presbyopic adults with Down syndrome

Vinuela‐Navarro, Valldeflors ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1933-5906, Baker, Fiona Jane, Woodhouse, J. Margaret ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7149-5077 and Sheppard, Amy L. 2024. Ciliary muscle and anterior segment characteristics in pre‐presbyopic adults with Down syndrome. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 10.1111/opo.13290

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Abstract

Purpose: Previous research has shown that accommodation deficits are common in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), but the origin and mechanisms behind these deficits are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of different ocular structures involved in accommodation, in particular the ciliary muscle (CM), in a population of individuals with DS to further understand this deficit and its mechanisms. Methods: Thirty‐two volunteer participants of pre‐presbyopic age with (n = 16) and without DS (n = 16) were recruited. Temporal and nasal images of the CM were acquired using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS‐OCT) while participants fixated an eccentrically located target. Analysis of CM parameters was undertaken using validated semi‐automated software. Axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and corneal curvature were obtained with the Topcon Aladdin Optical Biometer and Corneal Topographer. Non‐cycloplegic refractive error and accommodative ability were obtained with an open‐field autorefractor and dynamic retinoscopy, respectively. Independent t‐tests were conducted to determine differences in CM and other anterior segment parameters between participants with and without DS. Results: No significant differences were found in the CM parameters studied between participants with and without DS (p > 0.05). In contrast, significant differences were found in visual acuity (p < 0.001), accommodative response (p < 0.001) and corneal curvature (K1 p = 0.003 and K2 p < 0.001) between participants with and without DS. Conclusions: Despite having poorer accommodation, pre‐presbyopic adults with DS do not have a different CM morphology to that found in typically developing adults. These findings suggest that the accommodative deficit found in this population is not due to a mechanical deficit of the CM.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Optometry and Vision Sciences
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0275-5408
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	20 February 2024
Date of Acceptance:	6 February 2024
Last Modified:	20 Feb 2024 09:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/166401

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