Analysis of corneal mapping with anterior segment optical coherence tomography in severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients.

Purpose: We aimed to compare corneal thickness maps and ocular surface parameters with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) between severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients and healthy controls.

Methods: The study included patients with severe OSAS and healthy subjects. Ocular surface parameters (Schirmer, Tear break-up time (TBUT)), Oxford corneal staining score(OCSS), and Ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score were evaluated, and corneal thickness maps (total and epithelial) were obtained by AS-OCT in all participants.

Results: The mean ages of the control (n:30) and patient (n:30) groups were 44.80 ± 6.5 and 48.3 ± 8.9 years, respectively (p:0.09). The mean Apnea hypopnea index (AHI) in the patient group was 64.53 ± 21.25, mean body mass index (BMI) was 31.33 ± 3.66. TBUT, Schirmer tests, OCSS and OSDI score were statistically significantly different between the groups (p < 0.001, p:0.037, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups in the parameters in the corneal thickness maps using OCT.

Conclusion: Ocular surface parameters may worsen in OSAS. There were no significant differences among groups in corneal epithelial thickness mapping using AS-OCT. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of the disease on corneal morphology.