title: Central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure in captive black-footed penguins (Spheniscus dermersus).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the central corneal thickness (CCT) by ultrasonic pachymetry and the effect of these values on the measurements of intraocular pressures (IOP) with rebound tonometry (TonoVet(®) ) in a captive flock of black-footed penguins (Spheniscus dermersus). Variations in CCT by age and weight, and variations in IOP by age were compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both eyes of 18 clinically normal black-footed penguins (Spheniscus dermersus) were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  The IOP was measured by the TonoVet(®) in both eyes of all the penguins. CTT measurements were performed 5 min later in all eyes using an ultrasound pachymeter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean IOP values ± SD were 31.77 ± 3.3 mm Hg (range of mean value: 24-38). The mean CCT values were 384.08 ± 30.9 μm (range of mean value: 319-454). There was no correlation between IOP and CCT values (P = 0.125). There was no difference in CCT measurements by age (P = 0.122) or weight (P = 0.779). A correlation was observed (P = 0.032) between IOP values and age. The coefficient of correlation was negative (ρ = -0.207).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasound pachymetry has shown to be a reliable and easy technique to measure CCT in penguins. No correlation was observed between IOP and CCT values in this study. IOP showed a significant but weak decrease as age increased in the black-footed penguin.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina y Cirugia Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Hospital Clínico Veterinario Complutense, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisa M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Alonso-Alegre
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinez-Nevado
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caro-Vadillo
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Alvaro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D046429:Spheniscidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Spheniscus dermersus; black-footed penguins; central corneal thickness; intraocular pressure; pachymeter; rebound tonometer