Bettina Schlatter1, Marco Beck1, Beatrice E Frueh1, Christoph Tappeiner1, Martin Zinkernagel2. 1. From the Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. 2. From the Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: m.zinkernagel@gmail.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To determine whether the scleral stroma is affected as much as the corneal stroma in keratoconus. SETTING: University Eye Clinic, Bern, Switzerland. DESIGN: Comparative case-control study. METHODS: Eyes with keratoconus (keratoconus group) and eyes of age-, sex-, and axial length-matched controls (control group) were analyzed. Corneal videokeratometry and pachymetry were performed using a Scheimpflug tomographer (Pentacam). For measurements of the peripheral cornea and the anterior sclera, a spectral-domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography device (Spectralis) was used. RESULTS: The study group comprised 51 eyes and the control group, 50 eyes. The mean central corneal thickness in the keratoconus group was statistically significantly lower than in the control group (447.8 μm ± 57.8 [SD] versus 550.5 ± 35.5 μm) (P < .0001). No significant difference in the mean anterior scleral thickness was found between the keratoconus group and the control group (479.1 ± 43.7 μm versus 474.2 ± 43.0 μm) (P =.57). CONCLUSION: Although corneal thinning was observed in keratoconus patients, the anterior scleral stroma thickness in these patients seemed to be similar to that in healthy control eyes.
PURPOSE: To determine whether the scleral stroma is affected as much as the corneal stroma in keratoconus. SETTING: University Eye Clinic, Bern, Switzerland. DESIGN: Comparative case-control study. METHODS: Eyes with keratoconus (keratoconus group) and eyes of age-, sex-, and axial length-matched controls (control group) were analyzed. Corneal videokeratometry and pachymetry were performed using a Scheimpflug tomographer (Pentacam). For measurements of the peripheral cornea and the anterior sclera, a spectral-domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography device (Spectralis) was used. RESULTS: The study group comprised 51 eyes and the control group, 50 eyes. The mean central corneal thickness in the keratoconus group was statistically significantly lower than in the control group (447.8 μm ± 57.8 [SD] versus 550.5 ± 35.5 μm) (P < .0001). No significant difference in the mean anterior scleral thickness was found between the keratoconus group and the control group (479.1 ± 43.7 μm versus 474.2 ± 43.0 μm) (P =.57). CONCLUSION: Although corneal thinning was observed in keratoconus patients, the anterior scleral stroma thickness in these patients seemed to be similar to that in healthy control eyes.
Authors: Tina B McKay; Jesper Hjortdal; Henrik Sejersen; John M Asara; Jennifer Wu; Dimitrios Karamichos Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2016-05-09 Impact factor: 4.379
Authors: Scott A Read; David Alonso-Caneiro; Stephen J Vincent; Alexander Bremner; Annabel Fothergill; Brittney Ismail; Rebecca McGraw; Charlotte J Quirk; Elspeth Wrigley Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2016-09-20 Impact factor: 4.379