The Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Corneal Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Purpose: To reveal the effect of cigarette smoking on corneal endothelial cells. Patients and methods: this is a case control cross sectional study including 99 persons, 61 chronic cigarette smokers and another age matched 38 control nonsmokers. Parameters used in our study were cell density (CD), polymegethism, pleomorphism, the average of cell size, and central corneal thickness (CCT). Results: The mean values of the CD were 2829.9±334.9 compared to 3243.6±237.9, CV were 44.13±9.73 compared to 32.84±2.97, HEX were 40.44±6.95% compared to 60.11±5.83% for smokers and non-smoker groups respectively, with a highly statistically significant value (p <0.001) and on the other hand values were statistically non-significant regarding CCT. There were non-significant relation between the type of smoking (cigarette, shisha or combined). Conclusion:Cigarette smoking has deteriorating effects on some, but not all, of the corneal endothelial measures, with no relation found between this deteriorating effect and both of the dose or type of smoking.