Normal endothelial cell density range in childhood
P. Nucci, R. Brancato, M. B. Mets and S. K. Shevell
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Milan, Italy.
Specular microscopy of the in vivo corneal endothelium of 214 clinically
normal eyes in children ranging from 5 to 14 years of age showed a regular
mosaic of hexagonal cells. The cell population density of individuals
presented some variation, as it doses in older subjects. Quantitative
analysis permitted us to determine the normal range of the endothelial cell
count at each age. The mean (+/- SD) value ranged from 3591 +/- 399 cells
per square millimeter at age 5 years to 2697 +/- 246 cells per square
millimeter for the oldest subjects. Our data show a rapid decrease in cell
density up to age 10 years. We estimate from our data a decrease in cell
density of 13% between ages 5 and 7 years and an additional decrease of 12%
by age 10 years.
