Age-related Changes in Crystalline Lens Tilt and Decentration: A Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

Purpose To investigate the age-related tilt and decentration of crystalline lenses using a swept-source optical coherence tomography biometer (Casia 2, TOMEY, Japan). Setting Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods The direction and magnitude of the crystalline lens were evaluated in 230 participants with ages ranging from 7 to 90 years using swept-source optical coherence tomography. The participants were divided into four age groups, and the differences among the groups were analyzed. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the main factors influencing crystalline lens tilt and decentration. Results The natural crystalline lens tilted towards the inferotemporal direction with a mean magnitude of 4.3+/-1.5[degrees] (range 0.7-8.95[degrees]). The average decentration toward the superotemporal direction was 0.17+/-0.12 mm (range 0.03-1.15 mm). There was mirror symmetry between the right and left eyes. There were significant differences in the crystalline lens tilt and decentration among the age groups. Multiple linear regression showed that changes in crystalline lens tilt depended on angle [alpha] (p<.01) and anterior chamber depth (ACD; P=.008), while crystalline lens decentration depended on angle [kappa] (P=.003), age (P<.01), and angle [alpha] (P=.002). Conclusions Although there was a significant difference in crystalline lens tilt and decentration among age groups, the variation in the crystalline lens position was partially affected by age. The crystalline lens tilt was greater in eyes with wider angle [alpha] and shallower ACD, while crystalline lens decentration was greater in younger eyes with wider angles [kappa] and [alpha].