European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 6 - Number 2
Eur J Anat, 6 (2): 59-64 (2002)

Repeatability of central corneal thickness and ocular anterior chamber depth measurements with the Orbscan topography system

Sanhermelando M.V., Lleo A., Alonso L., Rahhal M.S., Gil de Tejada T.H., Martinez Soriano F., Sanchis Gimeno J.A.

Dpto. Anatomia y Embriologia Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Av/ Blasco Ibáñez 17, E-46010 Valencia, Spain

ABSTRACT The Orbscan topography system is a new anatomical noncontact system that allows study of central corneal thickness and ocular anterior chamber depth. It is currently important to know if there are significant differences among different observers when morphometric studies are carried out with the Orbscan System. Following on from this, the present work focuses on the repeatability of the new Orbscan Topography System II measurements. At the Rahhal Ophthalmology Clinic and the Faculty of Medicine of Valencia (Spain), we carried out a prospective study involving 46 eyes of 46 healthy patients: 27 were women (58.59%) and 19 were men (41.30%). The mean age of the sample was 29.93 ± 6.6 years (range: 18-47 years). One physician carried out central corneal thickness and ocular anterior chamber depth measurements with the Orbscan Topography System II (Bausch & Lomb Surg, Barcelona, Spain), while a second physician measured the corneal thickness and ocular anterior chamber depth again. The means of two consecutive measurements were used. Only one eye per patient was considered for the statistical analysis. The repeatability of the Orbscan measurements was analysed by comparing the results obtained by physicians 1 and 2. The mean central corneal thickness of the sample (mean ±SD) was 549.39 ±46.65 ?m (physician 1) and 549.32 ±47 ?m (physician 2). Thus, no significant differences were found between physicians (p=0.994). The mean ocular anterior chamber depth (mean ±SD) was 3.14 ±0.27 mm (physician 1) and 3.14 ±0.26 mm (physician 2). No significant differences were found between the physicians (p=0.978). Women had significantly greater corneal thickness values than men (p=0.003 for physician 1, and p=0.004 for physician 2). No significant differences between the sexes were found for ocular anterior chamber depth. In sum, the Orbscan Topography System II offers a high degree of repeatability for central corneal thickness and ocular anterior chamber depth measurements. This situation should facilitate the study of corneal and ocular anatomy in vivo.

Keywords: adult, anterior eye chamber depth, article, clinical trial, comparative study, cornea thickness, device, female, human, keratometry, male, morphometrics, normal human, optometry, orbscan topography system, sex difference, statistical analysis, statistical significance

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)