When is corneal topography necessary?

It is a noninvasive medical imaging technique used for mapping the surface curvature of the cornea. Since the cornea is normally responsible for approximately 70% of the eye’s refractive power, its topography is of critical importance in determining the quality of vision.

What does corneal topography tell you?

Corneal topography produces a detailed, visual description of the shape and power of the cornea. This type of analysis provides your doctor with very fine details regarding the condition of the corneal surface. These details are used to diagnose, monitor, and treat various eye conditions.

What are contraindications for cataract surgery?

Contraindications may include corneal edema, glaucoma, and keratoconus. Risks and complications may include corneal pain, flap tearing, and epithelial ingrowth.

What is the classic topographic description of an eye with keratoconus?

The hallmark of keratoconus is a localized region of generally inferior steepening seen with corneal topography. To draw a line between normal corneal asymmetry and keratoconus, one can measure the gradient in power along the steep axis and look for skewed radial axes.

What precautions should be taken before cataract surgery?

You may be instructed not to eat or drink anything 12 hours before cataract surgery. Your doctor may also advise you to temporarily stop taking any medication that could increase your risk of bleeding during the procedure.

Is corneal topography harmful?

Will I feel any discomfort during or following corneal topography? Corneal topography is a painless, non-contact technique, meaning that the corneal topography device will not touch your eye during the measurement.

Why perform corneal topography before cataract surgery?

Overall, corneal topography can provide essential information for patients scheduled for cataract surgery and surgeons should consider performing corneal topography for all patients prior to surgery. 6 Ocular surface disease, including dry eye and blepharitis, are common in patients scheduled for cataract surgery.

What is preoperative topography and why is it important?

Preoperative topography is important in patients with previous corneal refractive surgery because it allows the cataract surgeon to effectively counsel the patient on visual expectations with cataract surgery. With corneal refractive surgery, the shape of the cornea is altered to adjust the refractive error and reduce the need for glasses.

Can corneal topography change after EBMD treatment?

As can be seen in Figure 5, there can be significant changes in corneal topography following treatment of EBMD. In Figure 5, the left side topography is from a patient diagnosed with EBMD on cataract surgery evaluation. The condition and treatment options were discussed with the patient, who elected to undergo superficial keratectomy.

How long does a corneal topography scan take?

The scan only takes a few seconds, but it may need to be repeated a few times. Getting a corneal topography is painless, as nothing touches your eye during the scan. Your doctor may look over the images with you during the exam or at a follow-up exam.