Corneal Biomechanical Properties during the Menstrual Cycle

Abstract

Purpose: To determine if corneal biomechanical properties change during phases of the menstrual cycle.

Methods: Twenty-five healthy women of reproductive age with no ocular pathology or systemic diseases were recruited. Corneal hysteresis, corneal resistance factor, Goldman-correlated intraocular pressure, and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure were measured by a Reichert ocular response analyzer at three phases of the menstrual cycle, beginning on days 3 to 5 (follicular phase), again at ovulation (days 14–16, ovulatory phase), and at the end of the cycle (days 25–28, luteal phase).

Results: Twenty-one participants completed the study. The mean corneal hysteresis values at follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases were 10.7, 10.7, and 10.7 mmHg (p > 0.05), and the mean corneal resistance factor values at the same time points were 9.9, 9.9, and 9.8 mmHg (p > 0.05), respectively. Corneal-compensated intraocular pressure and Goldman-correlated intraocular pressure readings were stable during the course (p > 0.05 for all).

Conclusions: Corneal biomechanical properties and intraocular pressure as measured by an ocular response analyzer do not change statistically significantly during the different phases of the menstrual cycle. We conclude that measurements of the ocular response analyzer can be safely utilized in healthy female subjects without considering the possible effects of varying hormonal levels during the menstrual cycle.

Keywords::

• Corneal hysteresis
• Corneal resistance factor
• Intraocular pressure
• Menstrual cycle
• Ocular response analyzer

Declaration of interest: The manuscript has not been published elsewhere and it has not been submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere. The authors have no public or private financial support in this study. The authors have no financial or proprietary interest in any of the products, methods, or materials mentioned in this study. The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.