Evaluation of corneal tomography in children and adolescents without ocular or systemic allergy

Purpose: To determine normal corneal tomographic parameters in children and adolescents without corneal disease or atopy diagnosis. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study evaluated patients aged 8-16 years who underwent a complete slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination and tomographic corneal evaluation by a dual Scheimpflug analyzer, excluding those with ocular disease (including allergic conjunctivitis) or a positive prick test for systemic atopies. Results: A total of 170 patients were evaluated, and 34 patients (68 eyes) were analyzed once the exclusion criteria were applied. The sample's mean age was 10.76 +/- 2.31 years; with 19 (55.9%) men and 15 (44.1%) women. The mean keratometry in the flat meridian (Kflat), steep meridian (Ksteep), and maximum (K max) were 42.37 +/- 1.63D, 43.53 +/- 1.65D, and 43.90 +/- 1.73D, respectively. The mean values for corneal asphericity (epsilon 2) and thinnest point were 0.28 +/- 0.11 and 550.20 +/- 37.90 mu m, respectively. The inferior-superior asymmetry ratio (I-S) and coma were 0.74 +/- 0.59D and 0.28 +/- 0.12D, respectively. Conclusion: The knowledge of normal corneal tomographic parameters and their variation in children and adolescents without corneal disease or atopy may be useful for diagnosing keratoconus and initiating early disease treatment.