Characterisation of Corneal Changes in Keratoconus
Authors: Eliasy, A., Abass, A., Lopes, B.T., Vinciguerra, R., Zhang, H., Vinciguerra, P., Ambrósio Jr, R., Roberts, C.J. and Elsheikh, A.
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society Interface
Publication Date: Aug 2020
Location of cone centre and transition zone estimated using the proposed method for the right eye of a 42-year-old patient with moderate keratoconus. The results are plotted on tangential curvature maps (a,b) and maps of elevation relative to the optimal sphere (c,d).
Summary:
Keratoconus (KC) is an eye condition that alters the curvature of the cornea, resulting in blurred vision and a significant reduction in quality of life. In our recent study, we have developed a novel method to locate the center of KC and the transition zone between the affected area and the rest of the corneal tissue.
The new technique utilizes a spherical coordinate system to generate a "spherical height map," which helps in detecting the cone center and estimating the size of the pathological area of the cornea. Our method reduces the effect of the cornea's natural curvature, thus providing a more accurate representation of the KC cone's geometric features.
We applied our approach to a large dataset of 618 eyes from 309 KC patients, revealing valuable insights into the disease's progression. Our findings show that the cone height increases and the distance from the corneal apex to the cone center decreases as the severity of the disease increases. We also discovered that the posterior cone height is larger than the corresponding anterior cone height in most cases, suggesting the importance of evaluating both surfaces for a reliable diagnosis.
Our study's results can be used to improve understanding of keratoconic corneal morphology and develop customized treatments for KC patients. The proposed method can be applied to data from different corneal topographers, allowing researchers to develop computer programs for mass information analysis and treatment planning.
In conclusion, our research offers a new way to explore the changes in anterior and posterior corneal surfaces in KC patients and helps customize treatment regimens such as collagen cross-linking and intracorneal ring implantation.