Corneal Biomechanical And Transparency Changes In Fuchs’ Endothelial Dystrophy. A Pilot Study.
Published 2023 - 41st Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: PO0659 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/pe7g-9a71
Authors: Carlos Vera Lara* 1 , Rafael Cañones Zafra 2 , Miguel Angel Teus Guezala 3
1Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias,Madrid,Spain, 2Department of Corneal and Ocular Surface,Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias,Madrid,Spain, 3Head of Ophthalmology Department,Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias,Madrid,Spain;Professor of Opthalmology, Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences,Universidad de Alcalá,Madrid,Spain
Purpose
Fuch’s endothelial Dystrophy (FED) is the main cause of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). We believe that the current publicized scientific literature has not reported in depth how does the corneal biomechanical parameters and the corneal optic density are related in this disease.
The main objective of this article was to evaluate the light backscatter in patients with FED without clinically significant corneal edema and its relationship with corneal pachymetry, forward light scatter and corneal biomechanical parameters.
Setting
An observational and descriptive cross-sectional study was designed, which was reviewed and approved by the Healthcare Ethics Committee of the Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital. The patients, all adults, voluntarily gave written informed consent to be included in the study.
Methods
The values of corneal light backscatter were measured using the Oculus Pentacam® in 30 eyes of 15 patients diagnosed with Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy without clinically significant corneal oedema. Central corneal thickness was analyzed by ultrasound pachymetry and with the Pentacam® HR, and light forward scatter by the C – quant® and biomechanical properties by Corvis® ST.
Results
Corneal backscatter values were outside the normal range in 92,86% of eyes studied, being 0 – 2 mm total area of the cornea the commonest variation observed (75%). We found statistically significant associations between the values of light backscatter and corneal pachymetry and with the corneal biomechanical properties. In adition, we did not find an association between light backscatter and forwardscatter.
Conclusions
Corneal light backscatter values are altered in early stages of Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy in patients without clinically significant corneal oedema, significantly associating with biomechanical data studied. These results suggest that both corneal densitometry and biomechanical parameters would constitute an objective measure of Fuchs’ dystrophy stages.