Central corneal thickness in Senegalese melanoderms with primary open angle glaucoma

Purpose. To measure the central corneal thickness (CCT) in Senegalese melanoderms with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and to determine its effect on visual impairment, intraocular pressure, optic nerve and perimetric damage. Patients and methods. We studied retrospectively the records of patients followed for POAG between May and July 2012. We recorded CCT measured by ultrasonic pachymetry and results of the first clinical examinations, including best-corrected visual acuity (CVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) by Goldmann tonometry, cup-to-disc ratio (C/D), and visual fields by automated perimetry according to the classification of Hodapp. Results. Two hundred and thirty-four eyes of 117 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 56.53 +/- 11.29 years and gender ratio was 2.77. Mean CCT was 525.40 +/- 39.63 mu m for all eyes, right and left (P=0.734). Women had a mean CCT of 521.20 +/- 36.20 mu m and men 526.91 +/- 40.79 mu m (P=0.332). Corneas were thinner in patients over 50 years (P=0.0047), in eyes having a CVA < 3/10 (P=0.01) or a C/D >= 0.8 (P=0.043). CCT had no correlation with frequency of ocular hypertension (P=0.16) or advanced visual field defect (P=0.33). Conclusion. CCT of glaucomatous Senegalese is independent of laterality and sex, but decreased with age. A thin cornea is a risk for visual loss and optic cup enlargement, thus the importance of systematic measurement of CCT. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved,