UC San Diego

Purpose

To examine the diurnal variation of static and dynamic anterior segment parameters in young, healthy eyes by comparing anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) measurements obtained in the morning and evening and also in the light and dark.

Methods

Twenty-two subjects ranging from 19 to 47 years of age with no past ocular history were selected. Imaging was performed with the Tomey CASIA2 AS-OCT device in 2 fixed lighting environments, light and dark, between the hours of 08:30 to 10:00 and 17:30 to 19:00. Four AS-OCT images were analyzed per eye. Pupil diameter (PD), iris area (IA), iris curvature (IC), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens vault (LV), anterior chamber width (ACW), anterior chamber area (ACA), angle opening distance (AOD), angle recess area (ARA), trabecular iris space area (TISA), and trabecular iris angle (TIA) were measured.

Results

Pupil diameter was similar between the AM and PM groups in the light (P=0.89) and dark (P=0.51). There was no significant difference between AM and PM measurement values for any of the static or dynamic parameters in the light (P>0.39) and dark (P>0.31). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) demonstrated excellent agreement between AM and PM measurement values in the light (ICC>0.81) and dark (ICC>0.93). In addition, there was no significant difference between AM and PM angle opening distance at 500 µm measurement values in the light (P>0.34) and dark (P>0.40) when each of 8 angle sectors was analyzed individually.

Conclusions

No significant diurnal variation of static or dynamic anterior segment parameter measurements was detected in the light and dark. Diurnal variation of these parameters does not regularly occur in young, healthy eyes.