Correlation between central corneal thickness and axial errors of refraction

Abstract

Aim This study aimed to determine the correlation between central corneal thickness (CCT) and axial refractive errors (axial myopia and axial hyperopia). Patients and methods A total of 84 eyes were included in this study. They were classified into three groups (group 1, which included 28 axially myopic eyes; group 2, which included 28 axially hyperopic eyes; and group 3, which included 28 emmetropic eyes). CCT was obtained by pentacam, axial length was obtained by A-Scan ultrasonography, and refraction was obtained with auto-refractometer after cycloplegia and being confirmed with trial lenses. Results The study showed that the mean CCT in the myopia group (group 1) was 531 nm, mean CCT in the hyperopia group (group 2) was 523.5 nm, and mean CCT for the emmetropia group (group 3) was 555 nm. CCT was obtained by pentacam, axial length (AL) was obtained by ultrasound A-scan, and refraction was obtained by auto-refractometer after cycloplegia and being confirmed with trial lenses. Discussion CCT was found to be thinner in axially ametropic eyes compared with emmetropic eyes. CCT did not differ statistically between different grades of the same refractive error. CCT decreased with age but not with sex or AL. Conclusion The study revealed that axial errors of refraction had a correlation with CCT and that CCT of axially ametropic eyes showed thinner corneas than emmetropic eyes.

Keywords

• axial length
• central corneal thickness
• refractive errors