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Updated: May 28, 2026
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Anterior High-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography in the Diagnosis and Therapeutic Monitoring of Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia
Published on: August 9, 2024
Ocular surface epithelial thickness evaluation with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography
Marlène Francoz1, Issouf Karamoko, Christophe Baudouin
1Department of Ophthalmology III, Center of Clinical Investigations (CIC) 503, Quinze-Vingts National Ophthalmology Hospital, 28 rue de Charenton, Paris, France.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|October 26, 2011
Summary
Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) noninvasively measures ocular surface epithelial thickness. Dry eye and glaucoma patients showed altered limbal and bulbar conjunctival epithelial thickness, unlike aging effects.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Biomedical Optics
- Corneal Science
Background:
- Ocular surface health is crucial for vision.
- Accurate measurement of epithelial thickness is vital for diagnosing and monitoring ocular conditions.
- Noninvasive imaging techniques are preferred for patient comfort and repeated assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To utilize in vivo spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) for precise measurement of corneal, limbal, and bulbar conjunctival epithelial thickness.
- To compare epithelial thickness across different age groups and ocular conditions.
Main Methods:
- 156 eyes from 79 subjects were analyzed, divided into young control, middle-aged control, dry eye syndrome (KCS), and glaucoma/ocular hypertension (G) groups.
- Central corneal epithelium (CE), limbal epithelium (LE), and bulbar conjunctival epithelium (BCE) thickness were measured using SD-OCT in four quadrants.
- Statistical analysis compared thicknesses between groups.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in ocular surface epithelial thickness was observed between young and middle-aged control groups.
- Central corneal epithelium thickness remained consistent across KCS, G, and control groups.
- Limbal epithelium thickness was significantly lower, while bulbar conjunctival epithelium thickness was significantly thicker in KCS and G groups compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Anterior segment SD-OCT offers a noninvasive method for evaluating ocular surface epithelial thickness.
- Limbal and bulbar conjunctival epithelial thickness are altered in patients with dry eye and those using intraocular pressure-lowering medications.
- Aging does not appear to significantly affect ocular surface epithelial thickness.
