Sighting Dominance, Biometric Parameters, and Refractive Status Analyzing the Role of Ocular Dominance

OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to study the association between ocular dominance, refractive status, and biometric parameters. METHODS: Ocular dominance was assessed on consenting participants with non-pathological eyes using “hole-in-the-card test.” The participants were then examined for visual acuity, biometric measurements, and refraction. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software. RESULTS: Among a total of 660 participants in our study, right eye dominance was found in 508 (76.97%) participants. We found that horizontal keratometry readings (K1) were greater in the dominant eye compared to the non-dominant eye, showing a statistically significant difference in emmetropes (p<0.001) and hyperopes (p<0.001). The axial length was found to be longer but not significantly greater in dominant eye among while it was significant among myopes (p<0.001) and hyperopes (p<0.001). In myopic anisometropes, the axial length was significantly longer and more myopic in the dominant eye (24.0±0.7 mm) than non-dominant eye (23.9±0.4 mm) while the non-dominant eye was more hyperopic in anisometropic hyperopes. CONCLUSION: Right eye was dominant in majority of participants. The dominant eye was more myopic and had greater axial length in anisometropes. The dominant eye was more astigmatic than the non-dominant eye. Visual acuity was not affected by ocular dominance. The mean difference in biometric measurements was significantly greater in hyperopic eyes. The assessment of ocular dominance could improve patient satisfaction in refractive surgeries and monovision treatments. Treatment protocols could be fine-tuned based on ocular dominance. Normative data in various biometric measurements could take into consideration laterality in terms of dominance.