May 2005
Volume 46, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2005
High Heritability of Central Corneal Thickness – The Twin Eye Studies
T.Y. Toh; M.S. H. M. Liew; A.W. Hewitt; J.R. MacKinnon; J.L. Poulsen; T.D. Spector; C.E. Gilbert; J.E. Craig; D.A. Mackey; C.J. Hammond
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • T.Y. Toh
    Ophthalmology, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Australia
  • M.S. H. M. Liew
    Ophthalmology, Twin Research and Epidemiology Unit, London, United Kingdom
  • A.W. Hewitt
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne, Australia
  • J.R. MacKinnon
    Ophthalmology, Ragimore Hospital, Inverness, United Kingdom
  • J.L. Poulsen
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne, Australia
  • T.D. Spector
    Ophthalmology, Twin Research and Epidemiology Unit, London, United Kingdom
  • C.E. Gilbert
    Ophthalmology, Twin Research and Epidemiology Unit, London, United Kingdom
  • J.E. Craig
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne, Australia
  • D.A. Mackey
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne, Australia
  • C.J. Hammond
    Ophthalmology, Twin Research and Epidemiology Unit, London, United Kingdom
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  T.Y. Toh, None; M.S.H.M. Liew, None; A.W. Hewitt, None; J.R. MacKinnon, None; J.L. Poulsen, None; T.D. Spector, None; C.E. Gilbert, None; J.E. Craig, None; D.A. Mackey, None; C.J. Hammond, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust,Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia, Glaucoma Australia
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2005, Vol.46, 1093. doi:
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      T.Y. Toh, M.S. H. M. Liew, A.W. Hewitt, J.R. MacKinnon, J.L. Poulsen, T.D. Spector, C.E. Gilbert, J.E. Craig, D.A. Mackey, C.J. Hammond; High Heritability of Central Corneal Thickness – The Twin Eye Studies . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2005;46(13):1093.

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Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: A classical twin study was performed to determine the heritability of central corneal thickness (CCT), an important predictor of glaucoma risk. Methods: The concordance of CCT between monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins was compared. 512 Twins (256 twin pairs; 131 MZ and 125 DZ) were recruited from 3 centres: the Twin Eye Study in Tasmania, the Brisbane Adolescent Twin Registry and the TwinsUK adult registry held at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London. As part of a comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation, CCT was measured using ultrasound pachymetry. Modern genetic modelling techniques were used to determine heritability. Results: The mean age of subjects was 38 years (range 8–81). The mean CCT of all eyes examined was 544.5µm (95% confidence interval [CI]: 471.5–617.5). CCT measurements were highly correlated among MZ twins compared to DZ twins, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.95 and 0.52, respectively, suggesting a strong genetic influence. A model of additive and unique environmental effects provided the best fit, yielding a heritability of 0.95 (95% CI 0.93–0.96) with the remaining variation being attributable to unique environmental factors. Conclusions: In this study of Australian and United Kingdom twins, we found that genetic factors are of major importance in CCT, with a heritability of 0.95.

Keywords: cornea: clinical science • genetics 
© 2005, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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