Biomechanical Properties in Different Types of Thin Corneas in Menoufia Population.

Ahmed Ibrahim Basiony,Amin Faisal Ellakwa,Adel Galal Zaky,Alessandro Meduri

doi:10.1155/2021/6613143

Abstract

Background To evaluate and compare corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) in normal thin (NT) healthy corneas with central corneal thickness (CCT) of 470–500 μm with matched thickness in keratoconus suspect (KCS) and keratoconus (KC) eyes. Methods A total of 103 eyes in three groups were included prospectively: NT, KCS, and KC groups based on clinical examination and Pentacam findings. Corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were measured using the ocular response analyzer (ORA). CCT, CH, and CRF were compared between the three groups and statistically analyzed by variance tests. Results The three groups consisted of 44 NT, 26 KCS, and 33 KC. The mean CH measured was 8.689 ± 1.775, 9.051 ± 1.1190, and 8.129 ± 0.8539 mmHg in NT, KCS, and KC eyes, respectively. The mean CRF was 8.441 ± 1.663, 8.337 ± 1.114, and 7.2422 ± 1.3110 mmHg in NT, KCS, and KC eyes, respectively. Within the range of central corneal thickness (470–500 μm), only mean CRF was statistically significantly different between the NT and KC (P < 0.05); there was no statistically significant difference between NT and KCS, nor was the mean CH between each group (P > 0.05). Conclusions CRF only can be helpful in differentiating KC from NT eyes; KCS could not be predicted with either corneal biomechanical metrics. There was no benefit from CH in differentiating between the three study groups.

Highlights

To evaluate and compare corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) in normal thin (NT) healthy corneas with central corneal thickness (CCT) of 470–500 μm with matched thickness in keratoconus suspect (KCS) and keratoconus (KC) eyes
A total of 103 eyes from 58 subjects were enrolled in our study, of which 44 eyes showed normal thin (NT) corneas, Figure 1: Pentacam of the left eye of a patient in group 1
Our results showed that only the mean CRF was significantly lower in KC eyes compared to NT ones, but no significant difference was seen in CCT, CH, and CRF parameters of KCS eyes compared with NT eyes

Summary

Introduction

To evaluate and compare corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) in normal thin (NT) healthy corneas with central corneal thickness (CCT) of 470–500 μm with matched thickness in keratoconus suspect (KCS) and keratoconus (KC) eyes. Central corneal thickness (CCT) is a biometric factor [1] with a wide range of variability in healthy eyes, the cause of which is believed to result from different amounts of collagen fibrils and interfibrillar substance in the corneal stromal matrix [2]. It is a measure of tissue mass and represents an indicator of corneal rigidity. E ORA has an infrared electrooptical system that monitors corneal deformations It delivers a precisely metered collimated air pulse to the eye. Corneal hysteresis (CH) is the difference between these two pressure values, which represents the corneal viscoelastic damping

Results

Discussion

Conclusion