Central corneal thickness and its determinants in a geriatric population: a population-based study

PurposeTo determine the distribution of central corneal thickness (CCT) and its determinants in an Iranian geriatric population.MethodsThis population-based study was conducted in 2019 in Tehran, the capital of Iran, using stratified multistage random cluster sampling. The study population was all residents ≥60 years of age. First, preliminary optometric and ocular health examinations were performed including the measurement of uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity, objective and subjective refraction, anterior and posterior segment examination. The study participants then underwent corneal imaging using Pentacam HR.ResultsOut of 3791 invitees, 3310 participated in this study (response rate: 87.3%). The mean CCT and apex corneal thicknesses were 528 µ (95% CI: 526–529) and 529 µ (95% CI: 527–530), respectively. The highest and lowest mean corneal thickness was related to the superior (620 µ: 95% CI: 618–622) and the temporal (591 µ: 95% CI: 590–592) paracentral points, respectively. According to the multiple linear regression model, the CCT was significantly inversely related to keratometry readings (K1 and K2) and had a statistically significant direct relationship with intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal eccentricity (ECC), and corneal volume (CV) (all p values <0.05). The CCT was significantly higher in diabetic patients (p = 0.043).ConclusionThe CCT values in the geriatric Iranian population were lower than the values reported in most previous studies. The CCT is mostly influenced by IOP and corneal parameters (curvature, shape factor, and volume) and is not affected by demographic factors, refractive error, and ocular biometric components.