Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate the influence of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the anterior corneal optical density and the refractive index. Little is known about the effect on the anterior corneal surface when the eye is exposed to enhanced oxygen concentration and pressure.
Methods:
16 patients (32 eyes) were receiving 100% oxygen at a pressure of 240 kPa in a monoplace chamber for 90 min daily. Anterior corneal optical density was measured with the densitometry program of the Pentacam Scheimpflug imaging system (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH) at baseline and repeated after completed 19 days of treatment. The 180-degree rotating Scheimpflug camera captures optical density data according to the light scattering intensity of the anterior cornea. The density measurement values are standardized from 0 (no clouding) to 100 (tissue completely opaque). The Gladstone-Dale constant was calculated at baseline by using the Gladestone-Dale formula, the mean anterior corneal optical density value, and a refractive index of 1.376 of the normal human cornea.
Results:
Mean anterior corneal optical density and refractive index were 26.05 ± 1.48 and 1.376 (normal human cornea) at baseline, and 26.43 ± 1.48 and 1.381 ± 0.02 after 19 days of treatment (p < 0.15). The resultant Gladestone-Dale constant was 0.014. No change in corneal transparency was revealed by the biomicroscope slitlamp.
Conclusions:
No significant change in anterior corneal optical density and refractive index were present after the hyperbaric oxygen therapy, only a small increase from baseline appeared.
Keywords: 479 cornea: clinical science •
635 oxygen