Investigation of corneal topographic and densitometric properties of Wilson's disease patients with or without a Kayser-Fleischer ring

BACKGROUND: To investigate the topographic measurements and densitometry of corneas in Wilson’s disease (WD) patients with or without a Kayser-Fleischer ring (KF-r) compared to healthy individuals. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 20 WD patients without a KF-r (group I), 18 WD patients with a KF-r (group II), and 20 age-matched controls (group III). The Pentacam high resolution imaging system is used to determine corneal topographic measurements and densitometry. RESULTS: Mean age for groups I, II and III was 25.40 ± 6.43 years (14–36 years), 25.38 ± 6.96 years (16–39 years), 23.60 ± 6.56 years (17–35 years), respectively (P = 0.623). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the anterior corneal densitometry values (P > 0.05), while the 6–10 mm and 10–12 mm mid stroma and the 2–6 mm, 6–10 mm, and 10–12 mm posterior corneal densitometry values in group II were significantly higher than those in groups I and III (for all values, P < 0.05). However, the 10–12 mm posterior corneal densitometry values in group I were also significantly higher than those in group III (P = 0.038). The central corneal thickness (CCT), thinnest corneal thickness (tCT), and corneal volume (CV) values in groups I and II were significantly lower than those in group III (for CCT values, P = 0.011 and P = 0.009; for tCT values, P = 0.010 and P = 0.005; for CV values, P = 0.043 and P = 0.029). CONCLUSION: In WD patients with a KF-r, corneal transparency decreased in the peripheral posterior and mid stromal corneal layers; for these patients, corneal transparency may be impaired not only in the peripheral cornea but also in the paracentral cornea.