Age Related Changes in Normal Corneal Endothelium Using Specular Microscope

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the changes in corneal endothelium with age in normal Pakistani eyes.
Study Design: Prospective cross sectional study.
Settings: Ophthalmology department, Helpers eye hospital, Quetta Pakistan.
Duration: 12 March 2021 to 12 July 2021.
Material and Methods: 200 eyes of 200 healthy subjects from age 20 to 70 years and both sexes were recruited. Complete eye examination was done on each patient. Exclusion criteria included refractive error of ≥± 2.00 dioptres, corneal pathologies, glaucoma, uveitis, history of trauma, contact lens, intraocular surgery and diabetes mellitus. Corneal endothelial cell density (CED), average cell area (MCA), Coefficient of variation of cell size (CV) and hexagonality were analyzed by specular microscope (Shin-Nippon SPM-700; Rexxam Co.Ltd, Takamatsu, Japan). Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) demonstrated correlation between age and CED, CV, hexagonality and mean cell area.
Results: Mean age was 43.00±12.32 years. 136 (68%) were male and 64 (32%) were female Mean CED, average cell area, CV in cell size and hexagonality was 2705.91±235.70, 368.81±26.58, 41.97±10.77 and 47.37±6.67 respectively. Corneal endothelium parameters among age groups were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) revealed that CED (r= -0.755) and hexagonality (r= -0.709) decline while average cell area (r= 0.694) and CV of size (r=0.548) increased with age.
Conclusion: Our current study confirms the previous reports on relation of MCD, hexagonality, MCA and CV in cell size with advancing age. The results of our study on endothelial cell in a Pakistani population may serve useful for future researches.