Differences in the corneo-scleral profile measured by Fourier domain profilometry between healthy, post-LASIK, and keratoconus eyes

Session Details

Session Title: Presented Poster Session: Imaging

Venue: Poster Village: Pod 3

First Author: : D.Piñero Llorens SPAIN

Co Author(s): :    R. Soto-Negro   A. Martinez-Abad   P. Ruiz-Fortes   R. Perez-Cambrodi   H. Fukumitsu           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate and characterize the differences between healthy, post-LASIK and keratoconus eyes in the corneo-scleral profile and to evaluate its diagnostic ability for keratoconus detection

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology (Oftalmar), Vithas Medimar International Hospital Optometric Clinic, University of Alicante

Methods:

Three groups were created in this comparative prospective study: control group including 67 healthy eyes (62.6%, 67 patients), post-LASIK group including 20 eyes (18.7%, 20 patients) with previous uneventful myopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), and keratoconus group including 20 eyes (18.7%, 19.3%, 11 patients) with keratoconus. In all cases, a complete ocular examination was performed, including the analysis of the corneo-scleral topographic profile with the Fourier domain profilometer Eye Surface Profiler (ESP, Eaglet-Eye BV, Houten, The The Netherlands). Differences between groups were evaluated.

Results:

Statistically significant differences among groups were found in mean corneal radius (p=0.012), but not for mean scleral radius (p=0.935). For 11 and 12-mm chords, significant differences between groups were observed for temporal (TSH) (p=0.001) and maximum sagittal heights (MaxSH) (p=0.002). For 13-mm chord, difference between temporal and nasal sagittal heights (TNSH) was significantly higher in keratoconus group compared to controls (p=0.015). Likewise, MaxSH and TSH were also significantly higher in keratoconus group compared to the other two groups (p<0.001). Furthermore, significantly lower values of superior tangent angle at limbus (p=0.010) was found in post-LASIK group compared to controls.

Conclusions:

There are significant differences in the corneo-scleral geometric profile between healthy, post-LASIK and keratoconus eyes, suggesting that the mechanical weakening occurring at the cornea after LASIK and in keratoconus has also significant impact on scleral geometry. Future studies should investigate if a significant alteration in corneo-scleral geometry is associated to significant levels of corneal biomechanical weakening and may be have a potential diagnostic value.

Financial Disclosure:

None