• About Us
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us

Contact Lens Update

Clinical Insights Based in Current Research

Search Our Site

  • Home
  • Browse Past Issues
  • Resource Library
  • Back to Basics
  • Useful Links
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Conference Highlights

Machine learning-estimated axial length is better than spherical equivalent for identifying higher-risk myopic eyes

April 25th, 2023
Gareth LinghamGareth Lingham, PhD is an orthoptist and postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Eye Research Ireland with research interests in myopia prevention and treatment.

This abstract was presented as a poster at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually (Download poster .pdf)

Gareth Lingham, James Loughman, Eoin Kerin, Samantha Sze-Yee Lee, David A Mackey, Siofra Harrington, Kathryn Jill Saunders, Daniel Ian Flitcroft. Machine learning-estimated axial length is better than spherical equivalent for identifying higher-risk myopic eyes. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2022;63(7):4336 – A0041.

Purpose: To assess the performance of a machine learning-based algorithm in estimating axial length (AL) based on refraction and demographic data.

Methods: A machine learning-based algorithm (AL estimator) was trained using age, sex, spherical refractive error, astigmatism and corneal radius of curvature data derived from 4403 participants (aged 6-22 years) of Irish and Korean epidemiological studies. AL estimator performance was tested using right eye AL data from participants involved in myopia treatment trials (three Irish, one Australian). Bland-Altman statistics and linear regression were used to compare estimated and actual AL. Receiver operator characteristic analysis was used to assess the ability of the AL estimator to identify children with a high AL (≥26mm) and fast progressors (≥0.3mm axial elongation in 12 months), compared to spherical equivalent (SE).

Results: The AL estimator was tested on 507 participants (n=354, 69.8% Irish), of whom 437 (86%) had 12-month follow-up data [mean age: 11.3 years, range: 6-17; female: 304 (60%); mean AL: 24.8mm, range: 22.1-28.9]. Using baseline visit data, the mean difference in AL (actual – estimated) was -0.07mm (95% limits of agreement [LOA]: -0.97, 0.83; absolute mean error=0.36; R2=0.80). When assessing 12-month AL progression, the mean difference between actual and estimated AL change was -0.001mm (LOA: -0.31, 0.31; absolute mean error=0.12; R2=0.57). The AL estimator performed worse for Australian compared to Irish participants (respective mean errors: AL estimate=-0.16 vs -0.03mm, p=0.003; AL change=-0.04 vs 0.02, p=0.001). Compared to SE alone, the AL estimator was better at identifying eyes with an AL ≥26mm (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.97 vs 0.83) and eyes that progressed ≥0.3mm over 12 months (AUC: 0.90 vs 0.85; Figure 1).

Conclusions: In this cohort of myopic children, the machine learning model was able to provide a reasonably accurate estimation of actual AL. Importantly, the AL estimator demonstrated high diagnostic performance in identifying individuals with long AL and those who exhibited excessive axial elongation. Where biometry is unavailable, the AL estimator may represent a useful clinical tool for identifying children at risk of axial growth-related complications of myopia.

Figure 1: ROC curves of (a) estimated axial length [AL] and (b) AL change for AL estimator vs spherical equivalent AUC: area under curve.

Related Articles

  • April 25, 2023

    The Role of Biometry in Myopia Management

  • April 25, 2023

    Article Review: Ocular biometrics and uncorrected visual acuity for detecting myopia in Chinese school students

  • April 25, 2023

    Machine learning-estimated axial length is better than spherical equivalent for identifying higher-risk myopic eyes

  • April 25, 2023

    Practitioner Reference: Optical biometry and its role in myopia management

Issues

  • A Review of Ocular Surface Immunology
  • Corneal Ectatic Disorders
  • The role of biometry in myopia management
  • In-Office Procedures for Dry Eye
  • Multifocal Contact Lenses
  • Artificial Tears: An Update
  • Myopia: New Evidence and Best Practices
  • Neuropathic Pain
  • Specialty Rigid Lenses
  • Contact lens compliance
  • Pandemic update
  • Digital Devices and Dry Eye: A Growing Issue
  • The long and short of axial length
  • Using BCLA CLEAR with your patients
  • Helping your patients through allergy season
  • Getting the measure of meibomian glands
  • 2020: An extraordinary year
  • Scleral lens update
  • A dose of myopia
  • New news since TFOS DEWS II
  • COVID-19 Special Edition
  • Material considerations
  • Putting dry eye theory into practice
  • Getting started with Ortho-K
  • Infiltrates – an update
  • Staining
  • Myopia matters: Summarising the IMI reports
  • Lids and contact lenses
  • Myths
  • Revisiting patient compliance
  • Contact Lenses & Kids
  • Interprofessional Collaboration
  • Digital eye strain
  • New Dry Eye Technology
  • Update on Presbyopia
  • Taking stock of dry eye disease: DEWS II
  • Scleral Lenses
  • Pain and Sensation
  • Lab measurements in clinical practice
  • Control of pediatric myopia
  • Nutrition
  • Rethinking contact lens deposits
  • Extended wear
  • Daily Disposables
  • Eyelash Mites (Demodex)
  • Outsmarting bacteria with new technology
  • Youth and contact lenses
  • Sports Vision
  • Ocular effects of UV radiation from the sun
  • Eyelid Conditions
  • Makeup: Impact on ocular health
  • Myopia Control – Update 2014
  • The Growing Prevalence of Myopia
  • Cosmetic contact lenses
  • Contact lens discomfort – The essentials
  • Technology and contact lens research
  • It's A Question of Comfort
  • Contact lens materials
  • Let's talk about SICS
  • Conjunctival Controversies
  • Kids & Contact Lenses
  • One-day silicone hydrogel lenses
  • Solutions
  • Spotlight on Scleral lenses
  • Drug delivery via contact lenses
  • Ocular allergies
  • Reducing lens case contamination
  • Dry eye and meibomium gland dysfunction
  • Myopia Control
  • Presbyopia
  • Compliance and non-compliance
  • Lens care
  • Celebrating 50 years of contact lenses

Looking for another article?

Alcon coopervision Johnson&Johnson Vision Care

Newsletter Sign-Up

Sign-up for and start receiving our newsletter.

Site Map

  • Home
  • Browse Past Issues
    • Editorial
    • Feature Article
    • Clinical Insight
    • Conference Highlights
  • Resource Library
  • Back to Basics
  • Useful Links
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
© 2023 Contact Lens Update