title: Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in vernal keratoconjunctivitis patients under long-term topical corticosteroid therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) patients who were under long-term topical corticosteroid therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six eyes of 36 VKC patients with clear cornea and normal videokeratography and 40 eyes of 40 age- and gender-matched normal children were included in the study. Clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients were noted and detailed ophthalmological examination was performed. Visual acuity (VA), spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL) and RNFL thickness measurements were compared between the groups. To correct ocular magnification effect on RNFL, we used Littmann's formula.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All VKC patients had history of topical corticosteroid use and the mean duration of the topical corticosteroid use was 23.8 ± 9.09 months. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of intraocular pressure (IOP). VKC group had significantly worse VA, greater SE and AL and thinner mean global, superior and inferior RNFL thickness. There were significant negative correlations between the duration of topical corticosteroid use and the mean global, superior and temporal RNFL thickness in VKC group. After correction of magnification effect, VKC group still had thinner mean global, superior and inferior RNFL thickness, and significant difference between the groups in inferior RNFL thickness did not disappear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant RNFL thickness difference between the groups suggests a possible effect of long-term corticosteroid use in VKC patients. Because visual field (VF) analysis in pediatric patients is difficult to perform and IOP may be illusive, RNFL thickness measurements in addition to routine examinations in VKC patients may help clinicians in their practice.
authors.affiliation: Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology , Diyarbakir , Turkey and.
authors.forename: Abdullah Kursat
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Cingu
authors.forename: Yasin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cinar
authors.forename: Fatih Mehmet
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Turkcu
authors.forename: Nedime
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sahinoglu-Keskek
authors.forename: Alparslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caca
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003907:Dexamethasone; C009935:prednisolone acetate; D011239:Prednisolone
keywords: Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness; steroid induced glaucoma; vernal keratoconjunctivitis