Evaluate the ganglion cell and retina nerve layer thickness in keratoconus patients

Purpose: To evaluate the ganglion cell complex and retina nerve layer thickness in keratoconus patients. Methods: 52 eyes of 52 keratoconus patients (21 female, 31 male) and 50 eyes of 50 normal patients (25 female, 25 male) were evaluated with complete eye examination. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with LogMAR chart was measured. Anterior-posterior length wasmeasured by A-scan ultrasonography. Glaucoma combo protocol of Nidek, RS-3000 OCT / SLO system was applied. Keratoconus group were divided into 3 groups according to keratometric values. Keratometry value in group 1 is <47 D, in group 2 47-52 D, in group 3 >52 D and group 4 was the control group. Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison of keratoconus and normal groups, for the four groups the one-way variance was used and finally Tukey test for multiple comparisons. Result: G6NS, G6TS, G6T quadrants, fifth and the eleventh o?clock of pRSLT quadrants and cup area ratio showed a statistically significant decrease with keratoconic eyes compared to the normal group (p<0,05). There were moderate negative correlation among RSLT1,RSLT3, RSLT3N quadrants and keratometry value; negative correlation among G4,5NS and G4,5TS quadrants and keratometry value; negative correlation between back keratometryvalue and G4,5TS quadrant; positive correlation beteween corneal volume and eleventh o?clock of pRSLT and positive correlation between back keratometry and r/d min value. Wefound a negative correlation between AU and disc area (p<0,05). Conclusions: We think that with these findings, keratoconus pathogenesis affect not onlycornea but also retina.