Comparison of corneal biomechanical properties between the two eyes in unilateral exfoliation syndrome cases

Purpose: To compare the differences in corneal biomechanical parameters between the eyes of patients with unilateral exfoliation syndrome (ES), bilateral ES and normal subjects. Material and Method: Thirty patients with unilateral ES (Group A), 32 bilateral ES patients (Group B) and 49 healthy subjects (Group C) were included in this cross-sectional, non-interventional study. Corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc) and Goldmann-correlated IOP (IOPg) were measured using Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA). Central corneal thickness (CCT) was measured with an ultrasonic pachymeter. The differences in ORA parameters between the eyes of the study and control group participants were analyzed. Results: In unilateral ES patients, the mean CH values for eyes with and without exfoliation material were 8.6±2.1 mm Hg and 9.1±1.7 mm Hg, respectively (p=0.004). On the other hand, the differences in both mean CRF and CCT between the two eyes in unilateral ES cases were not statistically significant (p>0.05 for both comparisons). IOPcc was significantly higher in ES eyes than in non-ES eyes (19.3±2.9 mm Hg vs. 17.1±2.7 mm Hg) (p 0.05 for all comparisons). Discussion: In unilateral ES subjects, CH was found to be significantly lower in the eyes with exfoliation. Further studies are needed to establish the relationships between exfoliation, ocular biomechanics and glaucoma.