Clinical Study on the Evaluation of Corneal Biomechanical Properties in Patients with Diabetes and Glaucoma

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the corneal biomechanical properties in patients with glaucoma and diabetes. Material and methods: This is a prospective, comparative, observational study that included a total of 156 subjects, of which 48 healthy (96 eyes), 45 (90 eyes) with primary open angle glaucoma, 45 (90 eyes) with primary open angle glaucoma associated with diabetes and 17 (34 eyes) with diabetes only. All the patients were selected from St. Spiridon Hospital-Iasi, Euro Medi Center Clinic Iasi, Diabetes department and Oftaprof Clinic- Iasi. For all patients corneal viscoelasticity was measured by corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), corneal compensated PIO (IOPcc), Goldmann correlated IOP (IOPg), measured using the Reichert ORA (Ocular Response Analyzer) II. Results: The evaluation of the central corneal thickness did not reveal statistically significant differences between the study groups, neither in the right eye (p = 0.561) nor in the left eye (p = 0.455). Within each group, no significant differences were found between the IOP values in the right and left eye measured with the Goldmann aplanotometer (p> 0.05). The individual values of corneal hysteresis exceeded 10.8 ± 1.5 mmHg in 7.7% of patients in the right eye and in 13.5% patients in the left eye. The individual CRF values exceeded 11.0 ± 1.6 mmHg in 7.7% of patients in the right eye and 13.5% of patients in the left eye,. Within each group, there were no significant differences between right and left eye (p> 0.05). Corneal histerezis vs IOP determined with the Goldmann tonometer records moderate, statistically significant direct correlations only in group III. Conclusions: The values of corneal hysteresis and of the corneal resistance factor were higher in the groups with diabetes and in the healthy ones compared with the group with glaucoma. The presence of diabetes alters the biomechanical properties of the cornea, so in patients with diabetes we should consider these parameters in the distinction of those to be treated or only monitored for glaucoma.