Comparison of corneal astigmatism characteristics and prevalence of corneal astigmatism between Turkish individuals and Syrian refugees

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the prevalence, magnitude and type of corneal astigmatism between Turkish individuals and Syrian refugees. Material and methods: Data of patients scheduled for cataract surgery between January 2019 and 2020 were reviewed. The patients were randomly stratified according to their ethnicity (Turkish individuals or Syrian refugees). Keratometry was performed with the keratometer of IOLMaster 500. Quantitative analysis was performed using the power vector method (J0 and J45). The association between age and astigmatism in the two groups was explored. Results: The study included 4085 eyes of 2049 patients (3962 eyes of Turkish individuals and 123 eyes of Syrian refugees). The mean magnitude of corneal astigmatism, J0, J45 and prevalence of against the rule (ATR) astigmatism and with the rule (WTR) astigmatism were 1.01 D, 0.06, 0.01 D, 37.6% and 43.7% in Turkish individuals and 1.13 D, −0.02, 0.07 D, 46.3% and 37.4% in Syrian refugees, respectively. There were no significant differences according to age, sex, right/left eyes, corneal astigmatism magnitude, keratometric values, J0 and J45 ( p > 0.05) between the two groups. Below 40 years of age, the mean corneal astigmatism magnitude in Syrian refugees was significantly higher than that in Turkish individuals ( p = 0.037). At all ages, ATR astigmatism prevalence was higher in Syrian refugees than in Turkish individuals. ATR astigmatic shift began at a younger age in Syrian refugees ( p = 0.037). Age- and sex-adjusted analysis showed that J0 was significantly lower in Syrian refugees than in Turkish individuals ( p = 0.013). Conclusion: The prevalence and magnitude of ATR astigmatism were higher and onset earlier in Syrian refugees than in Turkish individuals.