2Assoc. Prof., Department of Ophthalmology,University of Health Sciences, Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital, Diyarbakır, Türkiye DOI : 10.37844/glau.cat.2023.18.15 Purpose: To evaluate the effects of topical 0.1% cyclosporin treatment on topographic, pachymetric, and densitometric maps of the cornea in severe pediatric cases of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC).
Materials and Methods: Thirty eyes of 30 pediatric patients with severe VKC were included in this study. The symptom and sign scores of these VKC patients were calculated and examinations were performed before and 6 months after topical 0.1% cyclosporin treatment. Pre and post-treatment values of flat keratometry (K1), steep K (K2), maximum K (Kmax), central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal volume (CV), anterior, center, posterior and total densitometry values (in two corneal concentric zones: 0-2-mm and 2-6-mm) were compared.
Results: The mean CCT and CV values decreased from 546.85±28.20 to 539.85±25.21 ?m and 60.9±3.2 to 60.1±3.0 mm3, respectively (p<0.001, both of them). Keratometry values (K1, K2, and Kmax) did not change after treatment (p:0.787, p:0.464 and p:0.963, respectively). The anterior, center, and total densitometry values in the 0-2-mm and 2-6-mm concentric corneal zones were significantly decreased after treatment (p<0.001, for all values).
Conclusions: In severe pediatric VKC patients, topical cyclosporine therapy provides reduction in densitometric (increased corneal transparency), CCT and CV values and also improves symptoms and findings.
Keywords : Vernal keratoconjunctivitis, Topical cyclosporine, Pentacam HR, Corneal thickness, Corneal densitometry