Interrelationships Between 3 Keratoconic Cone Parameters.

PURPOSE: To find out the interrelationships between 3 parameters of the keratoconic cone.

METHODS

A total of 101 keratoconic eyes of 58 patients were included in this retrospective case series study. A complete eye examination was performed. Kmax (K) and pachymetry at the thinnest point (T) were obtained from the Pentacam tomographer. The vertex to thinnest pachymetry distance (D for decentration) was calculated using trigonometry. Pearson correlation coefficients between T and D, between T and K, and between D and K were calculated.

RESULTS

There is a statistically significant positive correlation between thinnest point pachymetry and decentration (R = 0.366, P = 0.0002) and also statistically significant negative correlation between thinnest point pachymetry and Kmax (R = -0.719, P < 0.00001) and decentration and Kmax (R = -0.281, P = 0.0044).

CONCLUSIONS

The interrelationships between the 3 keratoconic cone parameters suggest that the thinner cones are largely central, that is, decenter less, but show greater steepening.