The Effect of Artificial Tear Treatment on Central Corneal Thickness in Dry Eyes

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the role of artificial tear treatment on central corneal thickness in patients with dry eyes coming to a tertiary care eye hospital. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary Care Eye Center, Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from May to Nov 2022. Methodology: The study included central corneal thickness of 210 eyes (n=210) of 110 patients with dry eye disease measured before and after treatment with continuous use of artificial tear drops one month apart, patients were diagnosed on the presence of symptoms such as burning, dryness, pain, irritation, grittiness followed by slit lamp examination for marginal tear meniscus(<0.25mm) or absent, tear film BUT of <10 seconds , Schrimer test 2 of <6mm after 5 minutes and ocular surface staining score of >1 with fluorescein. Central corneal thickness was measured using corneal topography (Galleli G6 Ziemer). Results: A total of two hundred and twenty eyes of 110 individuals having dry eyes were included in our study. Median CCT before treatment with artificial tears was 522(75)µm while median CCT after 1 month treatment with artificial tears was 547(22.25)µm this showed a percentage increase of 3.79% in central corneal thickness after one month treatment with artificial tears (p-value <0.001) therefore treatment with artificial tears was significantly associated with an increase in central corneal thickness in dry eye disease. Conclusion: Central corneal thickness is substantially related to dry eyes.