Association between Myopia and Central Corneal Thickness among Patients in a Tertiary Care PAF Hospital

Abstract

Objectives

Central corneal thickness (CCT) measurement is important in the estimation of intraocular pressure (IOP). It is also important when decision has to be made regarding refractive surgery. Studies conducted to determine the relationship between myopia and CCT have produced debatable outcomes. While some studies have found a negative correlation between CCT and the degree of myopia, many others have reported no significant correlation between the two. We attempt to study the relationship between them among patients attending the Ophthalmology department of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

Methods

This was a prospective cross-sectional study that was conducted at the department of Ophthalmology, PAF Hospital, E9 Islamabad. The study was conducted over a period of four months, from March to June, 2024. Participants were enrolled using non-probability, consecutive sampling. The central corneal thickness was measured and compared in myopic and emmetropic patients.

Results

In this study we examined 100 eyes of 50 participants. 50 eyes were myopic while the other 50 were emmetropic. There was a statistically significant difference between these two means (P=0.009) and so CCT was found to be thinner in myopic patients. However, no correlation was seen between CCT and the degree of myopia (P=0.055). Our study found no significant relation between CCT and age or gender.

Conclusion

There is a statistically significant difference between the mean CCT of emmetropes and myopes, with myopic eyes having thinner corneas. However, no significant difference is seen in the CCT according to the degree of myopia.