Background: The cornea is the anterior transparent part of the eye. In addition to its optical and refractive function, it is an important protective structure.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess corneal endothelium (counts, morphology and structure) as well as corneal thickness of Type 2 diabetic participants.Setting: This is a hospital-based case–control study and was carried out at Ibn Al Haitham tertiary eye hospital in Baghdad, Iraq.Methods: The sample size was 240 eyes of 120 diabetic participants and 120 healthy participants. Non-contact specular microscopy was utilised to evaluate corneal endothelial cells, including endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation in cell area (CV), hexagonality (HEX) of cells as well as central corneal thickness (CCT).Results: The ECD was lower in the diabetic corneas (2584.87 ± 259.15 cell/mm2) compared with the healthy corneas (2717.56 ± 289.67 cell/mm2) (p = 0.017, statistically significant). Coefficient of variance (CV) was greater in the diabetic group (40.8 ± 4.17) as opposed to the group with healthy corneas (37.3 ± 2.89) (p = 0.019, statistically significant). The corneas of the diabetic group showed lower hexagonality (44.36% ± 9.87%) compared with the healthy corneas (59.35% ± 9.67%) (p  0.001, statistically significant). Furthermore, the corneas of the diabetic group had greater central thickness (581.1 ± 32.4 µm) when compared with the control group (511.8 ± 29.8 µm), (p  0.001, statistically significant). No correlation was found between the severity level of diabetic retinopathy and corneal endothelial pathological alterations.Conclusion: Long-term poorly controlled glycaemia has a remarkable impact on corneal endothelium (counts, morphology and structure) as well as corneal thickness.

Purpose:To study changes in flap thickness made with two different microkeratome heads across different corneal locations using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods:In this prospective, non-randomized, consecutive case series, subjects who had their laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flaps made using 90 μm (MSU90) or 130 μm (MSU130) disposable M2 microkeratome heads were examined using OCT. The measurements were performed at three locations (central and 2.5 mm to either side) at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively.Results:The central flap thickness was 123 ± 15, 130 ± 14, and 127 ± 13 μm, respectively, at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively in the MSU90 group (41 eyes) and 142 ± 20, 147 ± 19, and 143 ± 15 μm, respectively, in the MSU130 group (47 eyes). At 1 month, peripheral flap thickness was 161 ± 17 and 159 ± 13 μm, respectively, at 2.5 mm to the right and left of corneal center in the MSU90 group. The corresponding figures were 170 ± 14 and 167 ± 13 μm, respectively, in the MSU130 group. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups at all locations (P < 0.001). No statistically significant change in flap thickness was detected in either group at any assessment time. There was a partial positive correlation (after controlling for preoperative manifest refractive spherical equivalent) between central flap thickness and preoperative ultrasound central pachymetry (r = 0.739, P = 0.036) in the MSU90 group but not in the MSU130 group.Conclusion:Using OCT, changes in flap thickness were minimal in the first month after LASIK. Flap thickness correlated strongly with central corneal thickness if a 90 μm head was used.

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Overall, the data show that a TUR-B is feasible in patients > 80 years with an increased complication rate in comparison to younger patients. Prolonged macrohaematuria and a high transfusion rate are attributable to the high percentage of orally anticoagulated patients.