An objective method to determinme corneal changes during menopause.

Abstract

Objective: We hypothesized that menopause has a measurable effect on corneal thickness. The aim of this study was to evaluate central corneal thickness (CCT) differences between women in the premenopausal and postmenopausal period. Methods: A prospective, case-control, sin.-le-blind study was designed. Two groups were included: Group I (premenopausal period) and Group H (postmenopausal period). Forty women were recruited in each group. The correlation between CCT with age, estradiol (E2) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were evaluated. Results: CCT was significantly decreased in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women (521.18 +/- 37.97 mu m 561 +/- 42.84 mu m, respectively, p < 0.005). Similarly, there was a linear correlation between CCT and serum E2 levels of patients overall (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The data presented in this study suggest that menopause causes corneal changes, which may be documented by central corneal thickness measurement.