Anterior chamber depth evaluation notes.pptx

Anterior chamber (AC) depth is the distance between the corneal endothelium and the anterior capsule of the crystalline lens of the eye. The average AC depth in a normal eye is around 3 mm, but it can range from 1.5–4 mm. 

1. Evaluation of angle of anterior chamber

2. Anterior chamber is an angular space bounded anteriorly by the inner surface of cornea and posteriorly by the anterior surface of iris and part of ciliary body. Anterior chamber depth (AC Depth) is 3mm in the center and it contains 0.25 ml of aqueous humour

3. Parts of anterior chamber From posterio r to anterior is Root of iris Ciliary body band Scleral spur Trabecular meshwork Schwalbe’s line

4. Iris root (IR) is defined as the point where the posterior iris ends at its root, junction with ciliary body. Ciliary body band the part of the ciliary body between root of iris & scleral spur is known as ciliary band.

5. Scleral spur The scleral spur is a protrusion of the sclera (the white of the eye) into the anterior chamber .

6. Trabecular meshwork a sieve like structure through which aqueous humour leaves your eye. Schwalbes line is the anatomical line found on the interior surface of the eye's cornea.

7. Why angle of anterior chamber is important to evaluate???  The size of this angle is an important determinant of the rate aqueous humour flows out of the eye, and thus, the intraocular pressure . So  It is majorly related to the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and has a role in its prevention.

8. ASSESSMENT TESTES Oblique flash light test

9. The simplest method of assessing ACD is by shining a pen torch into the patient’s eye from the temporal canthus such that the pen torch lies in the same plane as the eye. In the case of a deep anterior chamber, the iris lies flat and the whole iris will be illuminated. In the case of a very shallow anterior chamber the iris lies forward, blocking some of the light and very little of the iris is illuminated.

10. Based on the amount of eye illuminated the ACD can be graded  It is a simple test and does not require any sophisticated equipment but lack of standardization is a limitation

11. Other assessment tests include:- Van herrick method Smith method Split limbal technique Gonioscopy Optical coherence tomography Ultrasound biomicroscopy SLIT LAMP TECHNIQUES

12. Thank you