Evaluation of Densitometric Analysis for Early Detection of Corneal Blood Staining in Hyphema.

Purpose: To investigate the possibility of detecting presumed corneal blood staining after traumatic hyphema with corneal densitometry and to evaluate corneal transparency after hyphema resolution.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients with uniocular nonpenetrating ocular trauma with hyphema were included in the study. Corneal densitometry measurements were performed at the first week and the first month after full resolution of blood in the anterior chamber and discontinuation of medication. The uninjured eyes were accepted as the control group.

Results: The corneal densitometry values at all zones of the posterior layer in the study eyes were significantly higher at the first week compared with the first month (P < 0.05 for all). Comparison of the corneal densitometry values of the study eyes at the first week with the fellow eyes showed significantly higher values at all zones of the posterior corneal layer (P < 0.05 for all). Comparison of the study eyes at the first month with the fellow eyes was significantly higher at the posterior 0- to 2-, 2- to 6-, and 6- to 10-mm zones (P = 0.030, P = 0.044, and P = 0.035, respectively). Although corneal densitometry values at the posterior 10- to 12-mm and posterior total zones were higher at the first month compared with those of the fellow eyes, these differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.197 and P = 0.085, respectively).

Conclusions: Corneal densitometry at all zones of the posterior corneal layer significantly changed after traumatic hyphema. Corneal densitometry analysis could be used in clinically normal cases for possible early corneal blood staining detection.