title: Corneal endothelial cell density decreases with age in emmetropic eyes.
abstract: To analyze the corneal endothelial cell density in healthy adult emmetropic subjects.
  
  
  
  We analyzed the corneal endothelial cell density of a group made up of 225 emmetropic subjects (n=225). As age-matched control groups we analyzed two other groups, one made up of myopic subjects (n=209) and the other made up of hyperopic subjects (n=203). We recorded the mean of three consecutive measurements of the corneal endothelial cell density using the Topcon SP-2000P non-contact specular microscope (Topcon Corp., Tokyo, Japan).
  
  
  
  The mean age was 38.6+/-11.8 years, 40.7+/-12.2 years, and 39.2+/-10.5 years for emmetropic, myopic and hyperopic subjects respectively (p=0.994). No significant differences (p=0.920) in endothelial cell density values were found between emmetropic (2985+/-245 cells/mm2), myopic (2936+/-258 cells/mm2) and hyperopic eyes (2946+/-253 cells/mm2). Lower corneal endothelial cell density values were found in older emmetropic (p<0.001), myopic (p<0.001), and hyperopic subjects (p<0.001). A significant correlation between endothelial cell density and age was found in emmetropic (r=-0.958; p<0.001), myopic (r= -0.954; p<0.001) and hyperopic subjects (r= -0.948; p<0.001).
  
  
  
  In healthy emmetropic subjects there is a reduction in corneal endothelial cell density with age although there are no differences in corneal endothelial cell density values between emmetropic, myopic and hyperopic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. juan.sanchis@uv.es
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sanchis-Gimeno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lleó-Pérez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rahhal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martínez Soriano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies