Mutwaly Raghda F
Neurology of Vision, Faculty of Optometry and Visual Sciences, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, SDN.
Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Burydah, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Nov 21;16(11):e74187. doi: 10.7759/cureus.74187. eCollection 2024 Nov.
Corneal endothelium is responsible for maintaining cornea transparency by pumping fluid out of the stroma to prevent the development of corneal edema which leads to blurring of vision.
The study aims to investigate the corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in young myopic patients wearing disposable soft contact lenses (SLC) using a non-contact specular biomicroscope.
A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at Qassim University's optometry clinics from February to July 2024 in 100 healthy myopic patients, including 100 eyes wearing disposable soft contact lenses and 100 eyes wearing spectacle correction as control group. Clinical examinations included assessment of refractive error via autorefractometer and visual acuity via projector vision chart. Non-contact specular biomicroscope imaging was used to gather data on corneal endothelial cell density and morphology. Data were analyzed using SPSS v 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).
A total of 100 healthy myopic patients (200 eyes) participated in this study. Sixty-five (65%) were females and 35 (35%) were males. One hundred eyes wore SCL and 100 eyes were control group. The mean age was 22.14±1.92 years. The mean central corneal thickness (CCT) was 559.54±29.72.91 µm in the SCL group and 539.64±37.55 µm in the control group (p<0.001). The mean endothelial cell density (ECD) was 2628.03±238.66 cells/mm and 2589.29±254.49 cells/mm in SCL wearers and control group respectively (p=0.285). The mean coefficient variance (CV) was 35.44±6.07% in SCL wearers and 35.57±4.39% in non-wearers (p=0.023). The mean hexagonality (HEX) was 44.75±10.03% in SCL wearers and 44.83±8.40% in the control group (p=0.045). There was significant difference in cell number (p=0.018), polymegathism (p=0.002) and pleomorphism (p=0.002) between males and females in SCL wearers. Duration of SCL wear has negative correlation with ECD (r=-0.245; p=0.014) and polymegathism (-0.229; p=0.022). There was significant difference in CCT (p=0.005) and CV (p=0.027) in different types of SCL.
Wearing disposable soft contact lenses induces significant morphological changes in the corneal endothelium. It increases central corneal thickness and decreases degree of polymegathism and pleomorphism. The longer an individual wears contact lenses, the higher the likelihood decrease in endothelial cell density and polymegathism.
角膜内皮通过将液体泵出基质来维持角膜透明度，以防止导致视力模糊的角膜水肿的发生。
本研究旨在使用非接触式角膜内皮显微镜调查佩戴一次性软性隐形眼镜（SCL）的年轻近视患者的角膜内皮细胞密度和形态。
2024年2月至7月在卡西姆大学验光诊所对100名健康近视患者进行了一项横断面比较研究，其中包括100只佩戴一次性软性隐形眼镜的眼睛和作为对照组的100只佩戴框架眼镜矫正的眼睛。临床检查包括通过自动验光仪评估屈光不正和通过投影仪视力表评估视力。使用非接触式角膜内皮显微镜成像收集角膜内皮细胞密度和形态的数据。使用SPSS v 25（美国纽约州阿蒙克市IBM公司）对数据进行分析。
共有100名健康近视患者（200只眼睛）参与了本研究。65名（65%）为女性，35名（35%）为男性。100只眼睛佩戴SCL，100只眼睛为对照组。平均年龄为22.14±1.92岁。SCL组的平均中央角膜厚度（CCT）为559.54±29.72.91µm，对照组为539.64±37.55µm（p<0.001）。SCL佩戴者和对照组的平均内皮细胞密度（ECD）分别为2628.03±238.66个细胞/mm²和2589.29±254.49个细胞/mm²（p=0.285）。SCL佩戴者的平均变异系数（CV）为35.44±6.07%，非佩戴者为35.57±4.39%（p=0.023）。SCL佩戴者的平均六角形细胞比例（HEX）为44.75±10.03%，对照组为44.83±8.40%（p=0.045）。SCL佩戴者中男性和女性在细胞数量（p=0.018）、大小不均一性（p=0.002）和多形性（p=0.002）方面存在显著差异。SCL佩戴时间与ECD（r=-0.245；p=0.014）和大小不均一性（-0.229；p=0.022）呈负相关。不同类型的SCL在CCT（p=0.005）和CV（p=0.027）方面存在显著差异。
佩戴一次性软性隐形眼镜会引起角膜内皮显著的形态学变化。它会增加中央角膜厚度，并降低大小不均一性和多形性程度。个体佩戴隐形眼镜的时间越长，内皮细胞密度降低和大小不均一性增加的可能性就越高。
