Patogenetic relationship between the corneal epithelial thickness and microcirculation in the conjunctiva during optical coherent tomography in healthy subjects without ophthalmopathology

Abstract

Relevance. The ocular surface is composed of various tissue components, and all of these components work together to maintain the integrity and normal function of the ocular surface.

Aim of the work: to study of indicators of the blood flow of the bulbar conjunctiva and the state of the corneal epithelium in a group of conventionally healthy individuals and assessment of their physiological relationship.

Materials and methods. The study involved 20 apparently healthy people (40 eyes) of the Caucasian race, aged from 25 to 53, without concomitant ophthalmopathology. During the examinations, the state of the cornea (thickness of the cornea, epithelium) and bulbar conjunctiva were determined. The study of patients was carried out for 5 months from May to October 2020 on the basis of the Department of Eye Diseases of the State Institution "Zaporozhye Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Health ofUkraine" in the Department of Eye Microsurgery inZaporizhzhiaRegionalClinicalHospital.

Results. With the help of angio-optical coherence tomography, the density of vessels of the superficial and deep plexuses of the conjunctiva were studied and the normative base of conventionally healthy patients was formed. The density of the vessels of the superficial plexus at a distance of 1, 2 and 3 mm from the limbus did not differ significantly and averaged 50.7 µm. The density of the vessels of the deep plexus on average was 55.7 µm, but did not differ significantly from the indices of the superficial plexus. In the study of the density of the vascular bed of the deep plexus, statistically significant (p<0.05) more intense blood flow was noted at a distance of 2 mm from the limbus, and the lowest density of vessels at the level of 1 mm from the limbus. A statistically significant associative logical relationship between the dynamics of the thickness of the cornea and its epithelium was established, and the ratio of the thickness of the cornea to its epithelium was calculated in practically healthy individuals, which is within 9-11 conv. units.

Conclusions. The proposed normative reference values of a group of healthy individuals will allow both to adequately assess the functional ability of the corneal epithelium, to assess the density of blood flow of the bulbar conjunctiva and episclera, and to timely rationally select personally pathogenetically justified treatment and rehabilitation measures, taking into account the severity of pathological changes in the cornea at the subclinical stage.