Anterior segment characteristics in normal and keratoconus eyes evaluated with a combined Scheimpflug/Placido corneal imaging device

PURPOSE: To assess the anterior segment parameters of keratoconus (KC) eyes at different stages of the disease by a new Scheimpflug camera combined with Placido disk corneal topography (Sirius, CSO, Italy) in a sample of the Iranian population. METHODS: A total of 225 eyes of 225 individuals comprising 41 suspect KC, 40 mild KC, 71 moderate KC, 48 severe KC and 25 normal eyes were assessed for the following parameters: corneal thickness at the apex (CTA), thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal volume (CV), corneal keratometry (K), corneal asphericity (Q), and corneal elevation in the anterior and posterior surface. Also, the Zernike coefficients for the corneal aberrations including total root mean square (RMS), RMS Coma, RMS spherical aberration (SA), RMS Astigmatism, Baiocchi Calossi Versaci front index (BCV(f)), and BCV back index (BCV(b)) were noted for all eyes. Data was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc Bonferroni test for comparison of the means of the five groups. P-value was considered significant if it was <0.05. RESULTS: The TCT, CTA and posterior corneal elevation were significantly different between all comparison groups (P < 0.05). ACD values showed inconsistent differences between groups. Mean value of CV in comparing normal eyes vs suspect KC group, normal eyes vs mild KC, and normal eyes vs moderate KC revealed statistically significant change (P < 0.05). Also, weak non-significant positive correlation was demonstrated between K and CV (r = 0.08). There were statistically significant differences in total RMS, RMS coma, BCV(f), and BCV(b) for most groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Posterior corneal elevation, corneal thickness and high order aberrations are important indices that need to be considered to diagnose different grades of keratoconus.