CORRELATION OF AGE WITH CENTRAL CORNEAL THICKNESS AND CORNEAL ENDTHELIAL CELL DENSITY IN PAKISTANI POPULATION

Abstract

Objective: Correlation of age with central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) in Pakistani population. Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology Rawalpindi from Apr 2016 to Oct 2016. Material and Methods: CCT and ECD was measured in 330 eyes of 165 patients, aged between 21-70 years of age. Patients were further divided into five age groups. Three readings were taken for each eye, and mean of three readings was used for the analysis. Pearson correlation was calculated between CCT, ECD and age. Results: A total of 330 eyes of 165 patients were studied. Out of study population, 81 (49.09%) were males and 84 (50.90%) were females. Mean ECD (cell/mm2) was 3063.85 ± 234.65 cells/mm2 and 256.42 ± 475.06 cells/mm2 in patients aged 21–30 years, and 61–70 years respectively. Mean CCT (μm) was 544 ± 18 μm and 528 ±21 μm in patients aged 21–30 years, and 61–70 years respectively. A statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between age and corneal ECD (r=−0.718, p<0.01) and age and CCT (r=−0.230, p<0.01). Conclusion: Both CCT and corneal ECD decrease significantly with age in Pakistani population, with statistically more decrease in ECD with age, than CCT.

Keywords

• age-related changes
• central corneal thickness