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Laser scanning confocal microscopy helps identify corneal abnormalities after silicone oil injection
Following vitreoretinal surgery, in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy may aid in detecting corneal abnormalities caused by silicone oil injection, according to a study.
“In vivo [laser scanning confocal microscopy] was a useful tool in the early detection of corneal abnormalities caused by silicone oil injection, including varying corneal endothelium lesions and stromal abnormalities. Pseudophakic or aphakic eyes, as well as those of older patients, should receive more attention because they are more inclined to develop silicone keratopathy,” the study authors said.
The study included 99 eyes of 99 patients who underwent silicone oil injection after vitreoretinal surgery. All patients were examined for corneal abnormalities while the silicone oil was still in place.
Forty-five eyes were phakic, 32 were pseudophakic and 22 were aphakic.
Laser scanning confocal microscopy identified corneal abnormalities in 40 eyes, whereas slit lamp examination identified abnormalities in 12 eyes (P < .001).
The average endothelial cellular density and percentage of hexagonal cells were significantly lower in eyes with corneal abnormalities than in healthy eyes, but the average endothelial cellular area and coefficient of variation of cell size were significantly higher (all P < .001).
Corneal abnormalities occurred more often in pseudophakic (P = .045) and aphakic eyes (P = .039) than in phakic eyes. The total size of stromal deposits showed a significant negative correlation with endothelial cellular density and percentage of hexagonal cells and a significant positive correlation with endothelial cellular area and coefficient of variation of cell size (all P < .001).
“The conclusion could be made that in vivo [laser scanning confocal microscopy] is capable of detecting morphological changes at an early stage in the development of [silicone keratopathy] in the corneas of patients where slit lamp examination showed no recognizable abnormal signs,” the authors said.