The effect of conjunctivochalasis detected by anterior segment optical coherence tomography on tear function in an elderly population

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate conjunctivochalasis (CCH) and its relationship with tear meniscus and tear function in an elderly population. Materials and methods: This prospective, observational study included 144 eyes of 144 patients aged >65 years who were referred to our clinic for various reasons. The patients were separated into group 1 including 64 eyes of 64 patients with CCH and group 2 including 80 eyes of 80 patients without CCH. All patients in both groups underwent a full ophthalmological examination, and the presence of CCH, fluorescein tear break-up time (FTBUT) test, Schirmer test, ocular surface staining (Oxford grading score) and OSDI (Ocular Surface Disease Index) test results were recorded. Measurements of the conjunctivochalasis area (CCHA), tear meniscus height (TMH) and tear meniscus area (TMA) were taken using anterior segment optic coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Results: Group 1 comprised 34 females and 30 males with a mean age of 71.15 ± 12.34 years. Group 2 comprised 43 females and 37 males with a mean age of 68.16 ± 6.05 years ( p = 0.122). The CCH rate was 44.4% in all of the examined patients. The OSDI score and the ocular surface staining test were significantly higher ( p < 0.05), and the FTBUT, TMH and TMA were significantly lower ( p < 0.05) in group 1 than in group 2. The Schirmer I test results were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: The prevalence of CCH is quite high in elderly individuals and may disrupt tear function in these patients.