title: Corneal thickness in trachomatous dry eye.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of severe desiccation on corneal thickness in scarring trachoma by comparing the thickness of normal and trachomatous dry eye corneas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ultrasonic pachymetry was used to measure the corneal thickness at nine points in the central and peripheral cornea (superior, superonasal, nasal, inferonasal, inferior, inferotemporal, temporal, superotemporal) in 45 eyes of 27 patients with trachomatous dry eye and 54 eyes of 31 normal subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average thickness of the nine sites in the central and midperipheral cornea was significantly less in trachomatous dry eyes than normal eyes. The superior cornea was the thickest area in both groups, measuring 574.03+/-31.62 microm in trachomatous dry eyes and 611.33+/-34.99 microm in normal eyes (p<0.001). The centre of the cornea was the thinnest, measuring 510.43+/-32.12 microm in trachomatous dry eyes and 546.27+/-36.20 microm in normal eyes (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The thickness of the central and midperipheral cornea was significantly reduced in patients with trachomatous dry eye. The chronic state of severe desiccation, tear film instability and increased immune activation in trachomatous dry eye may contribute to this thinning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey. guzey@turk.net
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Satici
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karadede
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism; D014141:Trachoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism