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Comparing the ocular surface temperature and dry eye condition of keratoconus with normal eyes using infrared thermal imaging

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Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted to compare the ocular surface temperature in keratoconus eyes with that in normal eyes.

Methods

A total of 27 participants were enrolled, with 10 and 17 participants in the keratoconus and control groups, respectively. Participants in the control group underwent an ophthalmic slit lamp examination and ocular thermography, while an additional corneal tomography was performed for those in the keratoconus group.

Results

For patients with keratoconus, the mean upper eyelid temperature (UET) was 32.36 ± 1.02 °C, inner canthus temperature (ICT) was 34.25 ± 0.83 °C, outer canthus temperature (OCT) was 33.62 ± 0.96 °C, initial central corneal temperature (initial CCT) was 33.04 ± 1.03 °C, sixth-second CCT (6 s-CCT) was 32.67 ± 1.19 °C, and the mean change in CCT measured within 6 s (change in CCT within 6 s) was 0.36 ± 0.26 °C. For controls, the values for UET, ICT, OCT, initial CCT, 6 s-CCT, and change in CCT within 6 s were 32.35 ± 1.13 °C, 34.14 ± 0.91 °C, 33.51 ± 1.02 °C, 33.22 ± 1.01 °C, 32.99 ± 1.01 °C, and 0.22 ± 0.17 °C, respectively. Except for the change in CCT within 6 s (p = 0.022), no significant differences were observed in UET (p = 0.973), ICT (p = 0.659), OCT (p = 0.697), initial CCT (p = 0.556) or 6 s-CCT (p = 0.310) between the two groups.

Conclusion

The keratoconus eyes showed faster changes in CCT and evaporation of tear film after opening the eyes. Therefore, the keratoconus eyes had a higher incidence of dry eye conditions.

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Abbreviations

ROIs:

Regions of interest

CCT:

Central corneal temperature

FT:

Forehead temperature

UET:

Upper eyelid temperature

ICT:

Inner canthus temperature

OCT:

Outer canthus temperature

InitialCCT:

Initial central corneal temperature

6 s-CCT:

Sixth-second central corneal temperature

Change in CCT within 6 s:

Change in central corneal temperature measured within 6 s

BCVA:

Best corrected visual acuity

Kf:

Corneal curvature flat

Ks:

Corneal curvature steep

Rf:

Corneal curvature radius flat

Rs:

Corneal curvature radius steep

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to the technical support of teachers from the School of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology. Also thanks to the patients/volunteers for their kind consent and cooperation during the study.

Funding

The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

    Zhensheng Gu

  2. Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

    Guofan Cao

  3. School of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China

    Chunbo Wu, Yuanshen Huang, Banglian Xu, Songlin Zhuang & Baicheng Li

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Contributions

Dr. Gu Zhensheng wrote the main manuscript text and prepared figures and tables. Dr. Wu Chunbo collected the data and prepared the data base. All authors contributed to the study conception and design. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Baicheng Li.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Ethical approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Xin Hua Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (March 17, 2023/ No. XHEC-D-2023–047).

Consent to participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants (> 16 years) included in the study; Written informed consent was obtained from the parents of participants (< = 16 years).

Consent to publish

The authors affirm that human research participants provided informed consent for the publication of the images in Figure(s) 1a, 1b, and 1c.

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Gu, Z., Cao, G., Wu, C. et al. Comparing the ocular surface temperature and dry eye condition of keratoconus with normal eyes using infrared thermal imaging. Int Ophthalmol 43, 4781–4789 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-023-02878-w

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