Relationship Between Corneal Biomechanical Properties and Glaucoma Severity Among Patients in Ibadan, Oyo State

Corneal biomechanical properties, including corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF), are emerging as important biomarkers in glaucoma assessment and may influence intraocular pressure measurement accuracy and optic nerve susceptibility. This study examines the relationship between corneal biomechanical parameters and glaucoma severity among patients at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. A cross-sectional analytical design will be employed, recruiting 200 glaucoma patients staged using Hodapp-Parrish-Anderson criteria. Corneal biomechanics will be assessed using the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA), measuring CH and CRF. Additional measurements will include Goldmann applanation tonometry, corneal-compensated intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, and Humphrey visual field indices. Spearman correlation and multivariate regression will assess the relationship between biomechanical parameters and glaucoma severity indicators. The study anticipates that lower corneal hysteresis will correlate independently with worse visual field mean deviation and larger cup-to-disc ratios. Findings will contribute to the clinical evidence for incorporating corneal biomechanics into glaucoma risk stratification in Nigerian clinical practice and will be presented at the national ophthalmological conference. This research advances the frontier of glaucoma diagnostics in the South West zone and provides a framework for personalized management strategies in Nigerian glaucoma care. Keywords: corneal hysteresis, corneal biomechanics, glaucoma severity, Ibadan, intraocular pressure