Corneal Densitometry in Keratoconus

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate corneal densitometry in patients with keratoconus.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational cross-sectional study was performed including 90 patients with keratoconus (study group) and 30 students with apparently healthy corneas (control group), who attended the cornea consultation at the Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology Ramón Pando Ferrer, between May 2018 and June 2019. The right eye of each case was selected. Corneal densitometry was analyzed with the Pentacam AXL corneal tomographer.

Results: Densitometry was higher in keratoconus relative to apparently healthy cornea, from 0 to 2 mm, in the anterior, central, and posterior layer, respectively (p < 0.001). Densitometry increased in the 0 to 2 mm in the anterior layer in the moderate group and in the advanced group (p < 0.001), and between 2-6 mm in the central layer, from 10.86 ± 0.54 in the control, in the advanced keratoconus to 12.35 ± 1.16 and in the moderate to 12.16 ± 1.45 (p < 0.001). Densitometry increased in advanced from 27.64 ± 3.81, from 22.77 ± 2.14 in mild, and from 24.04 ± 2.83 in the moderate and 0-2 mm, in the anterior layer.

Conclusions: Densitometry is higher in the keratoconic cornea with respect to the apparently healthy cornea, moreover it increases with increasing severity of keratoconus in the central area.