Objective: To estimate a preliminary reference range for lower tear meniscus parameters that apply to different ages of individuals. Methods: A total of 206 healthy subjects (410 eyes) at Shanxi Eye Hospital and Universities were enrolled in this serial-case study. The subjects were divided into 4 groups at ten-year intervals that included all ages of the participants (21 to 60 years of age). The parameters for the lower tear meniscus, central corneal epithelial thickness and central corneal thickness were measured by anterior segment OCT. A Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between traditional dry eye diagnostic methods. The values of the reference range of the lower tear meniscus parameters in normal people at different ages were estimated by using the range of 95% medical reference values. Results: Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that there was no correlation between the central corneal thickness and other indicators, but other indicators were correlated with each other. Among them, there was a positive correlation between the and lower tear meniscus height (LTMH) and lower tear
meniscus area (LTMA) (r=0.981, P<0.001), LTMH and lower tear meniscus depth (LTMD) (r=0.983,P<0.001), LTMA and LTMD (r=0.990, P<0.001), and were significantly higher than that of SIT, NIBUTav and central corneal epithelial thickness (r=2.261-0.409, P<0.05). The LTMH reference values of the 4 age groups were: 21-30 years old: 356-441 μm; 31-40 years old: 323-378 μm; 41-50 years old: 274-332 μm; 51-60 years old: 232-319 μm, respectively. The reference range of LTMD were: 21-30 years old: 161-188 μm; 31-40 years old: 139-166 μm; 41-50 years old: 114-138 μm; 51-60 years old: 85-115 μm. The LTMA reference values were 21-30 years old: 0.031-0.038 mm2; 31-40 years old: 0.027-0.033 mm2; 41-50 years old:0.023-0.028 mm2; 51-60 years old: 0.013-0.018 mm2. Conclusions: There is a certain correlation
between the parameters of SⅠT, NIBUTav and central corneal thickness measured by anterior segment OCT. The reference value range of the lower tear meniscus parameters in different age groups showed a decreasing trend with an increase in age.