Thickness of anterior sclera and corneal layers in systemic sclerosis

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the thickness of anterior sclera and corneal layers in patients with systemic sclerosis. Methods The present cross-sectional study included 41 patients with systemic sclerosis and 41 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. The study and control groups were compared in terms of the thickness of anterior sclera, corneal epithelium, Bowman's layer, corneal stroma, and Descemet's membrane-endothelium complex. The thickness measurements were obtained using the anterior segment module of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results The thickness of anterior sclera, corneal epithelium, Bowman's layer, and Descemet's membrane-endothelium complex were similar in the patients with systemic sclerosis and healthy controls (P > 0.05). Total corneal thickness at the apex was 511.1 +/- 33.5 mu m in the systemic sclerosis group and 528.4 +/- 29.5 mu m in the control group (P = 0.015). The corneal stroma was thinner in the systemic sclerosis patients compared to the healthy controls (P = 0.02). Conclusions The corneal stroma was thinner in the patients with systemic sclerosis compared to that of healthy controls, while the thickness of the anterior sclera was similar in both groups.