Quantitative analysis of collagen fiber in keratoconus

In order to identify the direct pathogenic factors involved in the stromal thinning of keratoconus, quantitative analysis of keratocytes, collagen fibers and collagen lamellae in keratoconus cornea was performed histologically by light and electron microscopy. Both normal and keratoconus corneas showed a similar cell density of keratocytes in the central stroma, therefore the total number of keratocytes in keratoconus cornea might be smaller than that of controls, because of the thinning of stroma in the keratoconus. The collagen lamellae in keratoconus corneas showed a significant decrease in number compared with controls. There was a direct relationship between the stromal thickness and number of collagen lamellae. On the other hand, there was no statistical significance between normal and keratoconus corneas in terms of the thickness of collagen lamellae. These results suggest that the thinning of the cornea in keratoconus might occur as the result of a defect of some collagen lamellae due to a disorganization during the process of collagen lamellae formation.