Effects of oral contraceptive steroids on the thickness of human cornea.

Twenty-three women of childbearing age were monitored for a period of 3 months to evaluate the effect of oral contraceptive steroids on central corneal thickness. Eight of these women acted as the control group and 15 were first-time users of oral contraceptive steroids. Two males were also studied to investigate the possible existence of cyclic change of corneal thickness in females vs males. The results obtained from the control group of females indicated a definite cyclic variation in corneal thickness, females showing minimum thickness just before ovulation. The cornea seemed to be thickest either at the beginning or the end of the menstrual cycle. The males showed no specific pattern. The variation seen in females is hypothesized to be related to the ovarian and gonadotropin hormones. Of the experimental group, the females who were using the higher progesterone concentration pill showed stabilization starting almost immediately and by the 3rd month their corneal thickness showed very little variation during the cycle. The women on lower dosage pills also stabilized but took longer to do so.