title: Continuous measurement of corneal dehydration with online optical coherence pachymetry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Online optical coherence pachymetry (online OCP) allows continuous central corneal thickness measurements over time. In this study, the effect of dehydration on corneal tissue was investigated with online OCP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve eyes of 11 patients were examined with online OCP, and the central corneal thickness was registered over 5 minutes after insertion of an eyelid speculum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Online OCP measurements revealed no decrease in reproducibility after 5 minutes of dehydration. The initial mean central corneal thickness was 538 +/- 48 microm. After 5 minutes the central corneal thickness decreased to 483 +/- 43 microm (P = 0.001). This corresponded to a mean corneal thinning of 55 +/- 4 microm (10.2%) at a rate of 0.19 microm/s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online OCP was suitable for continuous measurements of corneal changes caused by dehydration. These dehydration effects should be particularly considered in refractive corneal surgery.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aurich
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wirbelauer
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jaroszewski
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Duy Thoai
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Pham
mesh_terms: D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003681:Dehydration / Q000473:pathology*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009862:Online Systems; D015203:Reproducibility of Results