Materials and Methods: The corneas of 20 subjects with pigment dispersion syndrome were evaluated with in vivo confocal microscopy (Confoscan 3.0). Twenty corneas of healthy subjects without a history of ocular disease served as controls. For each subject, the keratocyte density in the anterior, middle and posterior stroma together with the endothelial cell density (ECD), endothelial cell polymegethism and polymorphism was determined in best-focused two images.

Results: The mean age of 20 patients (10 males, 10 females) with PDS (46.0±14.1 years [range=22-68 years]) was not significantly different than that of 20 healthy control subjects (10 males, 10 females) (45.9±14.2 years [range=21-72 years]) (p=0.98). Endothelial cell density was determined as 2765±362 cell/mm2 in the study group, 2888±320 cell/mm2 in the control group (p=0.263). There were also no significant differences in endothelial cell polymorphism (49.8±12.2, 49.2±13.1; p=0.883) and polymegethism (38.5±6.5, 40.5±8.7; p=0.432). Keratocyte density measured in all sections was similar in two groups (p>0.05). None of the keratocyte and endothelial cell parameters were significantly different between female and male subjects with PDS (p>0.05). Pigment deposition was limited to the corneal endothelium in all cases.

Conclusion: Endothelial cell or keratocyte loss or damage secondary to pigment deposition is not present in the corneas of patients with pigment dispersion syndrome as evaluated with in vivo confocal microscopy. Keywords : Pigment dispersion syndrome, endothelium, confocal microscopy