Comparison of Epithelial Thickness Mapping in Normal Corneas with Different Types of Astigmatism

This study aimed to compare corneal epithelial thickness along different meridians in normal eyes with different types of corneal astigmatism. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, corneal topography and epithelial thickness mapping by anterior segment optical coherence tomography was performed for 154 normal eyes. Corneal astigmatism was classified based on the orientation of the steepest corneal meridian (with-the-rule [WTR], against-the-rule [ATR], and oblique) and the amount (low, moderate, and high). On a 9-mm epithelial thickness map, the thickness along the horizontal (180°), vertical (90°), and diagonal (45 and 135°) meridians was calculated. RESULT With-the-rule, oblique, and ATR astigmatisms were observed in 40, 31, and 29% of the eyes, respectively. In all types of astigmatism, the mean epithelial thickness was greater along the 180° meridian and thinner along the 90° meridian. There was no statistically significant difference in mean thickness along different meridians for WTR (P = .24) and oblique (P = .46) astigmatism, whereas the difference along the 180 and 90° meridians (P = .003) for ATR astigmatism was statistically significant. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in thickness in different types of astigmatism separately for each meridian (P
Source: Optometry and Vision Science - Category: Opthalmology Tags: ORIGINAL INVESTIGATIONS Source Type: research