Corneal and lens clarity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Understanding the reduction in clarity of the ocular media in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will aid interpretation of ocular examinations and refractive assessments in patients with this condition.

To investigate corneal and lens densitometry measurements of patients with COPD and to compare the results obtained with those in healthy adults.

This prospective cross-sectional study included 25 newly diagnosed COPD patients (COPD group) and 35 healthy subjects (control group). The COPD patients were excluded if they ever had any recorded systemic or inhaler steroid therapy. After recording demographic and clinical characteristics, eligible study subjects underwent a through ophthalmic evaluation which included measurement of refractive errors using the same automatic refractor-keratometer device, best-corrected visual acuity determination using a Snellen chart, measurement of intraocular pressure using a pneumotonometer, slitlamp biomicroscopy and fundus examination. After general ophthalmic examination, the Pentacam HR imaging system was used to evaluate corneal and lens densitometry measurements of the groups.

There were no statistically significant differences in the ages and genders of the participants between the two groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, the mean values of intraocular pressure, refractive error and body mass index as well as smoking status were similar between the groups (p > 0.05, for all). The mean corneal densitometry values were also similar in all the concentric zones and layers in the eyes of the patients with COPD and controls (p > 0.05, for all). However, the mean values of zones 1, 2 and 3, and average lens densitometry measurements of the COPD group, were statistically significantly higher compared to control subjects (p < 0.05, for all).

Lens clarity of patients with COPD was significantly decreased while corneal densitometry measurements were not significantly affected.