A prospective analysis of corneal endothelial polymegethism and cell density in young adult Asians

The aim was to assess the morphology of the Asian corneal endothelium, particularly the index of polymegethism and its relationship to endothelial cell density assessments. The central regions of the corneal endothelium of 72 healthy, normal weight, non-contact lens wearers were assessed by non-contact specular microscopy. There were six groups of persons, aged between 18 and 27 years, whose ethnic origins were self-reported as Asian (Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Pakistan or other Asian groups). Single images including at least 100 contiguous cells were obtained from each subject and were processed by planimetry after manual border marking to minimise errors. Calculations were made of the coefficient of variation of cell area (COV; polymegethism) as well as the endothelial cell density and percentage of six-sided cells.