title: Effect of chronic smoking on lens nucleus as assessed by Pentacam HR lens densitometry in young adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of chronic tobacco smoking on lens nucleus by Pentacam HR lens densitometry (LD) in young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty subjects (23 M, 7 F) who were chronic cigarette smokers (≥10 cigarettes/day for at least 2 years) (group 1) and another 30 subjects (23 M, 7 F) who did not smoke (group 2), were included in this study. The patients were matched for age and sex between the groups. The exclusion criteria were any history of ocular surgery, any systemic disorders and any ocular diseases except for mild refractive disorders. Lens densitometry measurements were done with the Pentacam HR (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany). The Schirmer test and pachymetry measurements were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the patients for both groups was 28.90 ± 8.20 years (range: 18-40 years). Mean lens densitometry (LD) measurements of Group 1 (chronic cigarette smoking group) were higher than those of Group 2 (control group) in all LD techniques; however only mean "peak" LD measurements showed a statistically significant difference between these two groups (Group 1: 8.67 ± 0.61, Group 2: 8.44 ± 0.70, p = 0.04). The mean Schirmer test value was 12.43 ± 5.60 mm in Group 1 and 13.00 ± 4.26 mm in Group 2 (p = 0.55). The mean central corneal thickness (CCT) value was 564.23 ± 34.61 µm in Group 1 and 550.47 ± 32.94 µm in Group 2 (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Pentacam HR LD seems to be an important option for the evaluation of lens nucleus in young adults, because it gives objective and quantitative data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although chronic smoking increases lens nucleus density in young adults, the effect is not statistically significant when compared with the control group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Pamukkale University , Denizli , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pekel
authors.forename: Ebru Nevin
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Cetin
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Acer
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yagci
authors.forename: Seher
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altintas
authors.forename: Gülin Tugba
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Ongun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003720:Densitometry; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007907:Lens Nucleus, Crystalline / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cigarette smoking; Pentacam HR; lens densitometry; lens nucleus; young adults