Effects of Long-Term Antiglaucoma Eye Drops on Conjunctival Structures: An In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Study

Table 3

In vivo confocal microscopy data between control (group 1) and antiglaucoma therapy groups (groups 2, 3, 4, and 5) (95% confidence interval).

	Group 1 (control)	Group 2 (Bb)	Group 3 (Aa)	Group 4 (Pg)	Group 5 (Ct)	P
Epithelial cell density	4299 ± 253	4457 ± 412	4518 ± 380	4547 ± 361	4432 ± 344	0.211
Goblet cell density	408 ± 47	267 ± 61	264 ± 69	336 ± 74	252 ± 77	0.000
Dendritic cell density	15 ± 7	21 ± 8	23 ± 9	22 ± 7	31 ± 8	0.000
Subepithelial fiber diameter	15 ± 4	20 ± 5	20 ± 4	15 ± 4	20 ± 5	0.000

Bb: beta-blockers group; Aa: alpha adrenergic agonists group; Pg: prostaglandin group; Ct: combination therapy group; in vivo confocal microscopy evaluation examined the conjunctival epithelium density, goblet cell density, dendritic cell density (expressed as cells/mm²), and subepithelial fiber diameter (expressed as μm).
In vivo confocal microscopy findings demonstrate better results in control than antiglaucoma therapy groups (confidence interval: 95%).
All data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation; P is by analysis of variance.