The Clinical Usefulness of the Hong's Grading Method

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare the Hong's grading method, utilized for slit-lamp grading of the mid-peripheral angle, with other conventional grading methods. Actual angle was measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) for comparison. METHODS: Fifteen eyes with narrow angles and eighteen eyes with wide angles were studied. The average age of thirty-three subjects was 46.8+/-19.2, and the male to female ratio was 13.7. The mid-peripheral angle was graded by Hong's, van Herick's and Spaeth's grading system. The actual anterior chamber angle was evaluated by UBM and the correlation between each grading system and actual angle was investigated. RESULTS: The results from the Hong's grading (r=0.802, R2=0.643, p<0.01), Spaeth's grading (r=0.728, R2=0.530, p<0.01) and van Herick's grading (r=0.618, R2=0.382, p<0.01) methods correlated significantly with the actual angles. CONCLUSIONS: The Hong's grading method was an easy and effective tool to evaluate anterior chamber angle. In addition, the results of the Hong's grading method were closer to the actual angle than the other methods.