Resumen

ARRRONTE ALARCON, María Teresa et al. Evaluation of the central corneal thickness and its impact on the intraocular pressure of patients in "Dr. Miguel Enriquez" hospital. Rev Cubana Oftalmol [online]. 2012, vol.25, suppl.1, pp.387-395. ISSN 0864-2176.

Objective: to evaluate the central corneal thickness in healthy individuals, in persons with ocular hypertension, and in suspected glaucoma and glaucomatous people, and its influence in intraocular pressure. Methods: a cross-sectional and descriptive study was performed in 708 eyes from 356 people who had been seen at ophthalmology service of “Dr. Miguel Enríquez”, university hospital from January to December, 2010. Their central corneal thickness was measured with ultrasonic pachymetry (pachymeter US 4000). The rest of the information came from the clinical histories of the patients. Results: Most of the ocular hypertensives presented thick corneas (p=0,07); a high number of cases that had diagnosis of glaucoma suspicion and primary open-angle glaucoma showed thin corneas (p=0,62 and (p=0,08 respectively). If the correction factor to evaluate the IOP had not been considered, then 48,1 % of the glaucomatous patients and 31,5 % of the ocular hypertensives would have been inadequately diagnosed (p<0,0001). Conclusions: the majority of the ocular hypertensive patients had thick corneas; however, the biggest number of cases that had diagnosis of suspected glaucoma and primary open angle glaucoma showed thinner corneas. Keeping in mind the correction factor in the evaluation of the intraocular pressure reduces the diagnostic errors.

Palabras clave : cornea; intraocular pressure; central corneal thickness.