Corneal thickness in trachomatous dry eye

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of severe desiccation on corneal thickness in scarring trachoma by comparing the thickness of normal and trachomatous dry eye corneas. METHODS: Ultrasonic pachymetry was used to measure the corneal thickness at nine points in the central and peripheral cornea (superior, superonasal, nasal, inferonasal, inferior, inferotemporal, temporal, superotemporal) in 45 eyes of 27 patients with trachomatous dry eye and 54 eyes of 31 normal subjects. RESULTS: The average thickness of the nine sites in the central and midperipheral cornea was significantly less in trachomatous dry eyes than normal eyes. The superior cornea was the thickest area in both groups, measuring 574.03+/-31.62 microm in trachomatous dry eyes and 611.33+/-34.99 microm in normal eyes (p<0.001). The centre of the cornea was the thinnest, measuring 510.43+/-32.12 microm in trachomatous dry eyes and 546.27+/-36.20 microm in normal eyes (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The thickness of the central and midperipheral cornea was significantly reduced in patients with trachomatous dry eye. The chronic state of severe desiccation, tear film instability and increased immune activation in trachomatous dry eye may contribute to this thinning.