Evaluation of Corneal Epithelial Thickness and Dry Eye Disease Tests in Thalassemic Adolescents

To assess dry eye disease (DED) in thalassemic adolescents by evaluating corneal epithelial thickness (CET) and various dry eye clinical tests and correlate them to tissue iron overload. The study included 120 Beta-thalassemia patients (11 to 18 years) and 120 matched controls. CET maps were captured using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. OSDI questionnaire was completed. Dry eye tests included Schirmer test, tear film breakup time ‎‎ (TBUT), and ocular surface staining (OSS) with fluorescein and lissamine green. We recorded serum ferritin ‎level, and liver iron concentration (LIC) measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Superior and inferior CET was thinner, while map standard deviation (MSD) was higher in thalassemics compared to controls (all P‎