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OCT accurately detects corneal thinning in keratoconic eyes
Ophthalmology. 2008;115(12):2159-2166.
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Pachymetry mapping with optical coherence tomography accurately and reliably identified corneal thinning in keratoconic eyes.
Corneal topography may not identify all patients at risk for keratoconus or distinguish keratoconus from artifact or corneal distortion.
"These causes of topographic distortion may cause a false-positive diagnosis of keratoconus or mask a true diagnosis of keratoconus," the study authors said.
The study included 37 eyes of 21 patients with keratoconus and 36 eyes of 18 patients without keratoconus. Analysis focused on a 5-mm area of the central cornea.
Pachymetric data showed minimum corneal thickness of 452.6 µm in keratoconic eyes and 546 µm in normal eyes. OCT pachymetry and topography showed clear distinctions between normal and keratoconic eyes. However, OCT provided reliable measurement over a wider area of the central cornea.
"An OCT pachymetry map analysis can provide decisive diagnostic information in cases where topography is ambiguous," the authors said.