A simple and effective video keratometric system

Abstract

We tested a personal computer-based video keratometric system used to analyze projected placido disk rings. The system consists of a Maloney surgical keratometer that projects the rings and a video camera attached to an operating microscope. Images of the rings were transmitted to a video image processing board and analyzed on a personal computer using an anlaysis program we developed. System precision was evaluated in 18 eyes. The values were compared with those obtained using a commercial photokeratometer (control). In all eyes, the principal meridian values differed from the controls by < 0.04 mm. In 15 eyes (83%), the measurements were within 0.03 mm of the controls. The corneal astigmatism values and cylindrical axes were within 0.12 diopters in 17 eyes (94%) and within 5" in all cases, respectively. Our system, which can analyze placido disc rings projected from other systems, is sufficiently precise to measure the corneal radius of curvature and astigmatism.