Corneal Biomechanics Differences Between Chinese and Caucasian Healthy Subjects

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference between Caucasian and Chinese healthy subjects with regards to Corvis ST dynamic corneal response parameters (DCRs). METHODS: Two thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine healthy Caucasian and Chinese subjects were included in this multicenter retrospective study. Subsequently, Chinese eyes were matched to Caucasians by age, intraocular pressure (IOP), and Corneal Thickness (CCT) using a case-control matching algorithm. The DCRs assessed were Deformation Amplitude (DA) Applanation 1 velocity (A1v), integrated radius (1/R), deformation amplitude ratio (DAratio), stiffness parameter at applanation 1 (SPA1), ARTh (Ambrósio's Relational Thickness to the horizontal profile), and the novel Stress Strain Index (SSI). RESULTS: After age-, CCT-, and IOP- matching, 503 Chinese were assigned to 452 Caucasians participants. Statistical analysis showed a statistical significant difference between Chinese and Caucasian Healthy subjects in the values of SPA1 (p = 0.008), Arth (p = 0.008), and SSI (p < 0.001). Conversely, DA, A1v, DAratio, and 1/R were not significantly different between the two ethnical groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: We found significant differences in the values of the DCRs provided by the Corvis ST between Chinese and Caucasian healthy subjects.