Evaluation of scleral thickness in patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy

To evaluate scleral thickness using anterior segment-optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (FED) and compare the results with healthy individuals.

Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients with FED and 30 eyes of 30 age, gender, spherical equivalent and axial length matched healthy participants were included. All subjects underwent a detailed ophthalmological examination including endothelial cell density and central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements. Scleral thickness was measured by AS-OCT (Swept Source-OCT, Triton,Topcon,Japan) in 4 quadrants (superior, inferior, nasal, temporal) from 6 mm posterior to the scleral spur.

The mean ages were 62.5 ± 13.2 (33-81) for FED group; 64 ± 8.1 (48-81) for control group. CCT was significantly greater in FED group than in the control group (586.8 ± 33.1 (514-635) vs 545.0 ± 20.7 (503-587), respectively)(p = 0.000). In FED group, mean scleral thickness in the superior, inferior, nasal and temporal quadrants were 434.0 ± 30.6 (371-498), 442.8 ± 27.6 (395-502), 447.7 ± 31.4 (382-502), 443.4 ± 30.3 (386-504) μm, respectively. In control group, the mean scleral thickness in the superior, inferior, nasal and temporal quadrants were 381.3 ± 20.0 (341-436), 383.2 ± 16.0 (352-436), 389.2 ± 21.0 (353-440), 383.2 ± 19.2 (349-440) µm, respectively. The mean scleral thickness was significantly higher in all quadrants in FED group than in control group (p = 0.000).

In patients with FED, scleral thickness was significantly higher. FED is a progressive corneal disease that results in the accumulation of extracellular material in the cornea. These findings suggest that the accumulation of extracellular deposits may not be limited to the cornea. Due to their functional similarity and anatomical proximity, sclera may also be affected in FED.