Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyze the effects of soft contact lenses on central corneal thickness and morphologic characteristics of the corneal endothelium in diabetic patients.
Methods: :
Ultrasound pachymetry and noncontact specular microscopy were performed on right eyes of 26 diabetic patients who regularly wear soft contact lenses (group 1), 27 diabetic patients who do not wear soft contact lenses (group 2), 30 soft contact lens wearers without diabetes mellitus (group 3) and 30 normal subjects who do not wear soft contact lenses (group 4). We compared the values in each group using the Mann-Whitney test.
Results: :
The central cornea was significantly thicker and the endothelial cell density was significantly lower in group 1, than in group 3 and group 4. But there was no statistically significant difference between groups 1 and 2 (central cornea thickness; group 1: 566.35±35.99, group 2: 553.59±45.80, group 3: 538.40±33.59, group 4: 534.13±26.31, endothelial cell density; group 1: 2904.81±236.42, group 2: 2967.15±540.15, group 3: 3198.67±389.64, group 4: 3385.14±275.92). The coefficient of variation of cell size was significantly higher and the percentage of hexagonal cells was significantly lower in contact lens using diabetic patients than in normal control group (Coefficient of variation; group 1: 0.37±0.04, group 2: 0.33±0.04, group 3: 0.36±0.04, group 4: 0.32±0.05, Percentage of Hexagonality; group 1: 58.88±5.28, group 2: 63.89±8.61, group 3: 61.03±4.55, group 4: 66.07±9.93).
Conclusions: :
Central corneal thickness and endothelial cell density is affected more by diabetes mellitus than contact lens wearing. In addition, corneal endothelial cell morphology is significantly more affected by contact lens use in diabetic patients when compared with normal subjects. So, it is much more harmful to wearing contact lens in diabetic patients than normal population without diabetic mellitus.
Keywords: contact lens • diabetes • cornea: endothelium