Changes in corneal thickness, upper and lower tear film in seasonal allergic conjunctivitis by steroid treatment: anterior segment optical coherence tomography study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of loteprednol etabonate on cornea and tear film in patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT).

METHODS

The right eyes of 52 subjects with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis were evaluated in the study. Central corneal thickness (CCT), the thicknesses of central corneal epithelium (CET) and central non-epithelial cornea (CnET), and lower and upper tear meniscus areas were measured by spectral-domain OCT and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) were obtained at baseline. After topical use of loteprednol etabonate 0.5% eye drop three times a day for 1 week, the measurements were repeated. Paired T test was used for analysis.

RESULTS

Mean CCT and mean thicknesses of CET and CnET at baseline were 528.19 ± 34.47 µm, 64.10 ± 5.30 µm and 462.84 ± 33.43 µm, respectively, and these were 526.31 ± 33.37 µm, 64.65 ± 4.84 µm and 459.84 ± 32.11 µm after the treatment, respectively. OSDI score was 21.55 ± 4.40 at baseline and 13.13 ± 2.39 after 1 week. The lower and upper tear meniscus areas at baseline were 0.026 ± 0.017 mm2 and 0.017 ± 0.007 mm2, respectively, and they were 0.017 ± 0.009 mm2 and 0.016 ± 0.007 mm2, respectively, after the treatment. There is statistically significant difference between before and after values of CCT, CnET, lower tear meniscus area and OSDI score (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

There is no change in corneal epithelial thickness and upper tear meniscus area after 1-week treatment with loteprednol etabonate in patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, but it may cause decrease in non-epithelial corneal thickness and lower tear meniscus area.