Repeatability of corneal pachymetry and epithelial thickness measurements acquired with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in subjects with prolonged computer use

Session Details

Session Title: Anterior Segment Imaging

Session Date/Time: Monday 16/09/2019 | 14:00-16:00

Paper Time: 14:48

Venue: Free Paper Forum: Podium 4

First Author: : V.Chatzistergiou SWITZERLAND

Co Author(s): :    A. Tzamalis   A. Diafas   I. Oustoglou   I. Tsinopoulos   N. Ziakas                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To assess repeatability and evaluate correlation of corneal pachymetry and epithelial thickness measurements obtained with optical coherence tomography in subjects with prolonged computer use.

Setting:

2nd Department of Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

Methods:

Sixty-seven subjects reporting prolonged use of computer screens (≥8 hours per day) were enrolled in a cross-sectional prospective study. Corneal pachymetry and epithelial thickness were measured by means of optical coherene tomography (AngioVue OCTA Imaging System, Optovue) in the central 2mm region and in several peripheral areas up to 7mm diameter. All subjects underwent 3 consecutive measurements by a single operator in each of their eyes alternating between eyes. Patients with prior refractive surgery, contact lens use and further ocular pathology other than dry eye syndrome were excluded from the analysis.

Results:

Central corneal pachymetry measurements yielded a mean of 528.4±33.8μm, while central epithelial thickness was measured 52.9±4.1μm as an average, showing no statistical significant differences between right and left eyes (p>0.05). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was found to be excellent for both central corneal pachymetry (ICC=0.99) and epithelial thickness (ICC=0.98) measurements. ICCs of the peripheral superior/nasal/inferior/temporal regions were slightly lower, however not differing statistically significantly from the central part (p>0.05 in all cases). Epithelium thickness was strongly correlated with total corneal thickness in every quadrant (p<0.01).

Conclusions:

Corneal pachymetry and epithelial thickness measurements acquired with a high speed spectral-domain OCT are proved to be highly repeatable and correlated to each other in prolonged computer users allowing early detection of minor pathologic changes.

Financial Disclosure:

None