Abstract: Objective: To explore the relationship between corneal biomechanics, biomechanically corrected intraocular pressure (bIOP) and refractive status in Chinese juveniles. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center between November 2017 and February 2018. A total of 325 Chinese juveniles, aged 7 to 18 years with a spherical equivalent (SE) refraction between -10.25 and +16.50 diopters (D) were included. Axial length (AL) was measured using an IOLMaster. Corneal biomechanical metrics and bIOP were measured using a Corvis ST, and corneal biological parameters were measured using a Pentacam. Participants were divided into 4 groups: high myopia, low-to-moderate myopia, emmetropia, and hyperopia based on the right eye SE. Differences in corneal biomechanical characteristics among the 4 groups were analyzed by covariance analysis, while differences in bIOP were analyzed by ANOVA. Results: Higher myopic SE was significantly correlated with faster corneal velocity during the second applanation moment (VA2, r=0.180, P=0.001), the longer peak distance (PD, r=-0.273, P<0.001) and larger deformation amplitude (DA, r=-0.167, P=0.002). A longer AL was significantly correlated with a faster VA2 (r=-0.138, P=0.021) and longer PD (r=0.355, P<0.001). There were significant differences among the 4 groups in PD (F=9.372, P<0.001), DA (F=4.425, P=0.005), and VA2 (F=4.961, P=0.002). Further study found that the PD, DA and absolute value of VA2 successively decreased in high myopia, low-to-moderate myopia, emmetropia, and hyperopia groups (all P<0.05). The differences in the stiffness parameter at the first applanation (SP-A1) in high myopia (102.04±19.59) and low-to-moderate myopia groups (98.95±16.62) were not significant (P>0.05), while the SP-A1 of the lowto-moderate myopia group was significantly greater than that of the emmetropia (107.49±18.66, P=0.010) and hyperopia groups (108.98±20.20, P=0.004). There was no significant correlation between intraocular pressure (IOP)/bIOP and SE. Conclusions: Corneal stiffness seems to decrease with a higher myopic SE in Chinese juveniles aged 7 to 18 years. IOP, whether it was corrected by corneal biomechanics or not, is not related to refractive status.
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