Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of different-thickness scleral lenses (SLs) on corneal thickness, curvature, and fluid reservoir thickness in keratoconic eyes. METHODS: Schiempflug imaging and AS-OCT was captured before and immediately following 6 h of SL wear. Different-thickness lenses were used while keeping the other parameters the same. The timing of the measurement for day 1 and day 2 was matched to allow for the control of the confounding influence of diurnal variation. RESULTS: Immediately after 6 h of lens wear, no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) was noted in corneal edema in any region and quadrants between thin- and thick-lens wearers. The calculated percentage of corneal edema was also within the range of overnight closed eye physiological swelling. Pentacam measured higher central corneal thickness compared to AS-OCT in both baselines and after 6 h of lens wear. The current investigation reported minimal but not statistically significant (P > 0.05) flattening in anterior and steepening in posterior curvature parameters in both thin and thick SLs. The mean reduction in the fluid reservoir thickness was 80.00 ± 3.99 and 79.36 ± 3.84 microns after 6 h of thin- and thick-lens wear, respectively, which was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). A statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.67, P = 0.02) was found between lens thickness and change in anterior steep k with thick-lens wear. CONCLUSION: Central lens thickness of 200-400 μm did not cause any significant change in corneal curvature and fluid reservoir thickness and did not induce clinically significant corneal edema after short-term SL wear.