Central Corneal Thickness in a Subgroup of the European Glaucoma Prevention Study

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: Central corneal thickness (cct) was reported to be increased in patients with ocular hypertension. The purpose of our study was to investigate the distribution of cct in a subgroup of ocular hypertensive patients within the European Glaucoma Prevention Study (EGPS). Methods: In a subgroup of 369 out of 1077 EGPS patients (mean age: 60±11years, 58% females, 42% males) cct was measured using ultrasonic pachymetry. 72% of the measurements were performed am and 28% pm, all of them were performed after visual field testing and tonometry. Correlations between central cct and age, gender and time of measurement were investigated. Results: Mean cct was 569±34µm for right eyes and 570±34µm for left eyes. 17.6% of the EGPS patients had a cct > 600µm. There was no correlation between cct and age (r=-0,012). Females had thinner corneas than males (568µm and 572µm, respectively, p= 0,039). And cct was found to be higher in the afternoon than in the morning (574µm and 567µm, respectively, p=0,002). Conclusions: Ocular hypertensive patients within the EGPS show increased cct. 17.6% of the EGPS patients had a cct > 600µm. Measurements in the afternoon showed thicker ccts than measurements in the morning. As our sample size represents only 1/3 of the whole EGPS sample, generalization should be avoided. Our results are in accordance with recent data from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (Ophthalmology, 2001).

Keywords: intraocular pressure