Comparison of central corneal thickness measurement using ultrasonic pachymetry, rotating Scheimpflug camera, and scanning-slit topography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare central corneal thickness measurements using rotating Scheimpflug camera, scanning-slit topography, and ultrasound pachymetry in virgin, healthy corneas.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational, cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Central corneal thickness in 157 healthy eyes of 157 patients without ocular abnormalities other than refractive errors was measured, in a sequential order, once with rotating Scheimpflug camera and scanning-slit topography and 3 times with ultrasound pachymetry as the last part of examination. All measurements were performed by a single experienced examiner. The results from scanning-slit topography are given with and without correction for "acoustic correction factor" of 0.92.

RESULTS

The average measurements of central corneal thickness by rotating Scheimpflug imaging, scanning-slit pachymetry, and ultrasound were 537.15 ± 32.98 μm, 542.06 ± 39.04 μm, and 544.07 ± 34.75 μm, respectively. The mean differences between modalities were 6.92 μm between rotating Scheimpflug and ultrasound (P < .0001), 2.01 μm between corrected scanning-slit and ultrasound (P = .204), and 4.91 μm between corrected scanning-slit and rotating Scheimpflug imaging (P = .001). According to Bland-Altman analysis, highest agreement was between ultrasonic and rotating Scheimpflug pachymetry.

CONCLUSIONS

In the assessment of normal corneas, rotating Scheimpflug topography measures central corneal thickness values with higher agreement to ultrasound pachymetry.