ATM: To define the causes of corneal endothelial cell damage, to investigate the preventive methods, and to observe the variety of corneal endothelial cell in glaucoma using confocal microscope.

METHODS: Totally, 143 eyes of 97 patients with different types of glaucoma, and matched normal people were 20 cases, all 40 eyes. The cell density, cell area and cell variable coefficient were measured used confocal microscope. These indicatives of every kind of glaucoma were compared.

RESULTS: The corneal endothelial cell density of normal group was 2 893.88±255.026/mm², the group of acute angle-closure glaucoma(AACG)was 1 674.11±683.95/mm², and the group of open angle glaucoma(OAG)was 2 687.22±391.87/mm², the group of chronic angle-closure glaucoma(CACG)was 2 706.97±351.27/mm². In all index the average cell density of corneal endothelial and the average area have statistical significance(F=62.950, 8.795; P=0.000), especially the group of AACG.

CONCLUSION: The index of corneal endothelial cell in AACG is lower than that of normal. All index in OAG and CACG is difference with that of normal, but the difference has no statistical significance. And the dominant factor of damaged corneal endothelial is the time of intraocular hypertension.