Investigation of the Sectorized Corneal Thickness of Eyes With Corneal Endothelial Dysfunction Using Anterior-Segment Optical Coherence Tomography

Cornea. 2023 Jun 1;42(6):714-718. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000003061. Epub 2022 May 25.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the sectorized corneal thickness of eyes with corneal endothelial dysfunction using anterior-segment optical coherence tomography.

Methods: We retrospectively collected anterior-segment optical coherence tomography data conducted before endothelial keratoplasty on 53 eyes of 53 patients with corneal endothelial dysfunctions including Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, bullous keratopathy (BK) after trabeculectomy, and BK after laser iridotomy and from 18 normal eyes of 18 subjects. The imaging points were divided into 17 sectors. The mean for each sector was calculated and compared with the corresponding superior/inferior and temporal/nasal sectors.

Results: In the normal eyes, the superior sectors were thicker than the inferior and the temporal sectors thinner than the nasal. In the diseased eyes, the superior sectors were thicker than the inferior in all subgroups; however, this tendency was no longer observed after the values were divided by the mean for the normal eyes. No significant differences were found on horizontal comparisons; however, after the values were divided by the mean for the normal eyes, the temporal sectors were thicker than the nasal. When comparing the values between the with-hole and the without-hole sides in the BK after laser iridotomy eyes, the sectors on the with-hole side were thicker than the other side.

Conclusions: Corneal thickness of endothelial dysfunction was thicker in the superior sectors than the inferior but at a similar level to normal eyes. No significant differences were found for horizontal comparisons but, based on comparison with the normal eyes, the temporal sectors were thicker than the nasal.

MeSH terms

  • Cornea
  • Corneal Edema*
  • Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy* / surgery
  • Humans
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods