Repeatability of corneal power and wavefront aberration measurements with a dual-Scheimpflug Placido corneal topographer

Purpose

To evaluate the repeatability of the Galilei dual-Scheimpflug analyzer in measuring corneal curvature, wavefront aberrations, pachymetry, and anterior chamber depth (ACD).

Setting

Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

Methods

Three consecutive measurements were performed in 1 eye of each subject. The following were evaluated: (1) mean total corneal power at the central, paracentral, and peripheral zones (0.0 to 4.0 mm, 4.0 to 7.0 mm, and 7.0 to 8.0 mm, respectively) and posterior corneal power (K_avg); (2) corneal higher-order wavefront aberrations (6.0 mm pupil); (3) mean pachymetry at the central, paracentral, and peripheral zones; and (4) ACD. Repeatability was assessed by calculating the within-subject standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (COV), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results

The study enrolled 20 subjects. The SD was 0.09 diopter (D), 0.05 D, and 0.19 D for central, paracentral, and peripheral total corneal power, respectively, and 0.03 D for posterior K_avg. The COV ranged from 0.10% to 0.35%, and the ICC was 0.996 or more (P<.001). For 3rd-order coma and trefoil, the SD was 0.08 μm and 0.09 μm, respectively. For 4th-order spherical aberration, astigmatism, and tetrafoil, the SDs were lower (0.02 μm, 0.04 μm, and 0.09 μm, respectively). The SD was 1.68 μm, 1.98 μm, and 2.82 μm for central, paracentral, and peripheral pachymetry, respectively, and 0.04 mm for ACD.

Conclusion

Dual-Scheimpflug measurements of corneal power, pachymetry, ACD, and corneal aberrations for Zernike terms in the middle of the Zernike tree showed excellent repeatability.

Financial Disclosure

No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Additional disclosures are found in the footnotes.