Analysis of corneal mapping with anterior segment optical coherence tomography in severe obstructive sleep apnea...

We aimed to compare corneal thickness maps and ocular surface parameters with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) between severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients and healthy controls.

The study included patients with severe OSAS and healthy subjects. Ocular surface parameters (Schirmer, Tear break-up time (TBUT)), Oxford corneal staining score(OCSS), and Ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score were evaluated, and corneal thickness maps (total and epithelial) were obtained by AS-OCT in all participants.

The mean ages of the control (n:30) and patient (n:30) groups were 44.80 ± 6.5 and 48.3 ± 8.9 years, respectively (p:0.09). The mean Apnea hypopnea index (AHI) in the patient group was 64.53 ± 21.25, mean body mass index (BMI) was 31.33 ± 3.66. TBUT, Schirmer tests, OCSS and OSDI score were statistically significantly different between the groups (p < 0.001, p:0.037, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups in the parameters in the corneal thickness maps using OCT.

Ocular surface parameters may worsen in OSAS. There were no significant differences among groups in corneal epithelial thickness mapping using AS-OCT. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of the disease on corneal morphology.