Comparison of Central Corneal Thickness Measurements by Optical Coherence Tomography, Corneal Topography and Non-Contact Specular Microscope

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To assess the compatibility between the devices measuring the central corneal thickness (CCT) without eye contact in healthy eyes. METHODS: Thirty eyes of thirty subjects were included in the study. Central corneal thickness of all patients was measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) (Spectralis® OCT, Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany), corneal topography (CT) (Orbscan, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA) and non-contact specular microscope (NSM) (Tomey Corporation, Nagoya, Japan). Each device performed three measurements and the average of these measurements was taken. The results were compared using the intra-class correlation coefficient method. RESULTS: Seventeen (56.7%) of the patients were female and 13 (43.3%) were male. The mean age was 34.4 +- 10.02 years (19-53 years). The mean CCT was 543.9 +- 43.6 µm with AS-OCT, 538.9 +- 45.2 µm with CT and 520.7 +- 39.8 µm with the NSM. The intra-class correlation coefficient was found to be 0.92 for AS-OCT and CT, 0,85 for AS-OCT and NSM, 0.93 for CT and NSM. The measurement values of all three devices were found to be compatible with each other. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: CCT measurements without eye contact were found to be compatible with each other on all three devices in healthy eyes. All three devices can be used interchangeably to measure the CCT.

Keywords

• central corneal thickness
• corneal topography
• specular microscope
• anterior segment optical coherence tomography.