title: Evaluation of central corneal thickness after cataract surgery, penetrating keratoplasty and long-term soft contact lens wear.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare central corneal thickness (CCT) between corneas of normal healthy eyes (cNHE), corneas of eyes that had undergone cataract surgery by clear corneal phacoemulsification with implantation of an intracapsular intraocular lens (cIOL), corneal grafts after penetrating keratoplasty (gPK) and corneas of long-term soft contact lens wearers (cCL).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was a consecutive cross-sectional trial. CCT was measured using rotating Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam, software version 1.16r04) in 80 cNHE, 79 cIOL, 46 gPK and 78 cCL. Analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) was performed to compare differences of mean values between these four groups. Pearson's or Spearman's correlation coefficient (r) was determined between CCT value and age, follow up time after penetrating keratoplasty (timePK) or contact lens wearing time (timeCL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Means of CCT measurements were comparable between cNHE (mean CCT±standard deviation, 554±36μm), cIOL (551±40μm) and gPK (534±52μm) as determined by one-way ANOVA. Mean CCT values in cCL (537±37μm) were statistically significantly lower in comparison to cNHE (p=0.026, 95% CI=1.43-31.44). There was no linear correlation between age and CCT values of cNHE and cIOL (p=0.841, r=-0.031 and p=0.931, r=0.011, respectively). No linear relationship was determined between CCT values of cCL and timeCL (p=0.315, r=-0.125). CCT values of gPK did not correlate with timePK (p=0.738, r=0.054).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data reported here indicate that in the same statistical model among CCT values of cNHE, cIOL and gPK only long-term soft contact lenses (CL) wearer have significantly lower CCT measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. saadettinsel@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Saadettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sel
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trau
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knak
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kalinski
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Friedrich E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.forename: Cord
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huchzermeyer
authors.forename: Gernot I W
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Duncker
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paulsen
authors.forename: Gerd U
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Auffarth
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nass
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003315:Cornea / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D019781:Corneal Topography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Central corneal thickness; Intraocular lens; Pachymetry; Penetrating keratoplasty; Phacoemulsification; Soft contact lens