Comparison of posterior corneal elevation in children with and without vernal keratoconjunctivitis using a new tomographer

PURPOSE: To assess the posterior corneal elevation (PCE) in children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and compare the same with that of age and gender-matched normal children. METHODS: This was a case control study. We included 110 children attending the Pediatric ophthalmology outpatient department of a tertiary eye care center in South India between September 2019 and June 2020. Fifty-five children with VKC and 55 normal age and gender-matched children were examined by Sirius tomographer/topographer (CSO, Italy) to determine the PCE, thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), simulated K (Sim K), keratoconus front (KVf) and keratoconus vertex back (KVb). The parameters were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 220 eyes of 110 children were examined. The mean age in both groups was 10.44 ± 3.28 years, each group included 44 males and 11 females. There was no statistically significant difference in TCT and Sim K between the two groups. The mean PCE was 18.8 ± 8.4 μm in VKC group and 11.7 ± 3.9 μm in control group (P < 0.001). Both KVf and KVb were significantly higher in VKC group when compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Children with VKC have significantly higher PCE as measured by Sirius tomographer, and hence, all VKC children should be screened for development of KC and the Sirius tomographer may be an appropriate tool for the same.