Posters

Cornea morphological changes associated with aging: Pentacam findings

Poster Details

First Author: A.Grumann BRAZIL

Co Author(s):    L. Meurer              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To compare the morphological changes of the cornea between the ages of 20 and 30 years and of those above 60 years of age.

Setting:

Florianópolis, Brazil

Methods:

A cross-sectional study, using the census records of patients who were part of the Pentacam corneal evaluation. The charts were divided into 2 groups: group 1 was patients between 20 and 30 years and group 2 was patients over 60 years of age. The data was analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software, the level of significance was set at p < 0.05 .

Results:

The maximum curvature was larger in group 2 ( 44.98 ( ± 1.76 ) D / 45.57 ( ± 1.85 ) D ) ( p < 0.05 ). Group 1 corneas had significantly more prolatas ( -0.27 ( ± 0.15) / -0.21 ( ± 0.26 ) ) ( p < 0.05 ) and a larger volume ( 59.92 ( ± 3 65 ) /58 65 ( ± 3.91 ) mm3) ( p <0.05). No difference was observed between the value of the average central corneal thickness. However, in group 2 there was a greater distance between the corneal apex and the thinnest point ( 0.61 ( ± 0.35 ) / 0.85 ( ± 0.40) mm) ( p <0.05), as well as the rate of pachymetric progression, which was also increased in this group ( 0.87 ( ± 0.41) / 0.99 ( ± 0, 49 ) ( p < 0.05 ). The group 2 had larger posterior elevation values ( 10.08 ( ± 9.87 ) / 18.98 ( ± 8.89 um) ( p < 0.05 ). The index of Belin / Ambrosio, created to detect keratoconus, was altered in 56 ( 50 % ) of the patients in group 2.

Conclusions:

With ageing, the cornea undergoes changes in its topography, until now there have only been a few studies regarding this change. Some of these changes even resemble those observed in some pathologies, such as keratoconus FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE