Stromal opacification of cornea: morphological assessment of its condition in chronic dystrophic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

Aim: To evaluate the morphological changes in the cornea in stromal opacification, revealed by a comparative analysis of the results of confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography on the example of clinical cases of stromal keratitis.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Materials and

Methods

We examined 16 patients (20 eyes), including 7 men and 9 women aged 42 to 72 years. All patients underwent a standard ophthalmologic examination.

RESULTS

Results

In 95% of cases (19 eyes), there was an impoverishment of the nerve fibers of the subbasal nerve plexus (SNP), their thinning and change in configuration. The AS-OCT images showed in all cases (100%) a higher reflexivity of the posterior stroma in the area. In 61.5% (16 eyes), there was a decrease in corneal thickness due to stromal thinning and the appearance of a demarcation zone.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions

Confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography have diagnostic value for determining the structural organization, thickness, shape of the cornea, its changes, and to assess the effectiveness of treatment.