Anterior segment optical coherence tomography in corneal and conjunctival pathology

Abstract

PURPOSE: To analyse the usefulness of anterior segment spectral domain optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in the diagnosis and surgical planning of corneal-conjunctival disease. METHODS: Retrospective study which included patients examined using AS-OCT (HD-Cirrus) between June and December 2011.  e following information was obtained: diagnosis, surgical procedure, AS-OCT image usefulness/quality, biomicroscopy photographs. Cases were classi ed into the following groups: 1.  e AS-OCT provided a satisfactory image and provided additional information to that obtained by biomicroscopy that was useful for diagnosis/surgery 2.  e OCT provided a satisfactory image but did not provide useful additional information for the diagnosis/surgery 3.  e OCT did not provide a satisfactory image. RESULTS:  e OCT examination was conducted in 63 eyes of 53 patients with the following diagnoses/procedures, which were classi ed into (n=number of eyes): Group 1: Descemet’s membrane detachment (4), corneal leukomas (1), penetrating keratoplasty (6), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (4), endothelial keratoplasty (1), intracorneal rings (6), corneal thickness assessment (6), infectious keratitis (4), corneal / conjunctival squamous neoplasia (4), Salzmann’s degeneration (2), conjunctival nevus (1). Group 2: Limbal cysts (1), hydrops (1), uveitis (1), guttata (3), bullous keratopathy (4), conjunctivochalasis (2), tear meniscus measurement (6), pterygium (4). Group 3: histiocytosis (2). CONCLUSION: AS-OCT examination has useful applications in diagnosis and surgical planning in corneal-conjunctival disease which make its inclusion recommended among the equipment of an ocular surface and cornea unit of a tertiary hospital.