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Corneal Epithelial Thickness Correlation with Dry Eye Symptom Severity: A Cross-Sectional Study
Bruno Barbosa Ribeiro1, João Heitor Marques1,2, Pedro Manuel Baptista1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Unidade Local de Saúde Santo António, Porto, Portugal.
Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.)
|November 25, 2024
Summary
Patients with more severe Dry Eye Disease (DED) symptoms exhibit thicker corneal epithelia and thinner stroma. This suggests a potential compensatory mechanism in response to DED severity, with epithelial variability correlating to symptom scores.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Corneal Science
- Dry Eye Disease Research
Background:
- Dry Eye Disease (DED) is a prevalent condition affecting the ocular surface.
- Understanding corneal changes in DED is crucial for diagnosis and management.
- Corneal epithelial thickness and stromal characteristics may be altered in DED patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate corneal epithelial thickness in patients diagnosed with Dry Eye Disease (DED).
- To correlate corneal structural changes with DED symptomatology and severity.
- To explore potential compensatory mechanisms in the cornea related to DED.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 100 adult patients with DED.
- Corneal epithelial and stromal thickness mapping using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).
- Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI-12) questionnaire for symptom severity, Schirmer's test, and tear film osmolarity were assessed.
Main Results:
- Patients with moderate to severe DED (Group 2) showed significantly higher mean corneal epithelial thickness (48.4 µm) compared to mild DED (Group 1) (47.1 µm).
- Group 2 also exhibited significantly lower mean stromal thickness (522.0 µm) versus Group 1 (546.6 µm).
- OSDI score positively correlated with mean epithelial thickness and epithelial variability index, and negatively with stromal thickness.
Conclusions:
- More severe DED symptoms are associated with thicker corneal epithelia and thinner stroma, potentially indicating a compensatory response.
- Epithelial variability index correlates with DED symptom severity (OSDI score).
- This study provides novel evidence of stromal thinning in DED patients, warranting further investigation.
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