Variability of subjective classifications of corneal topography maps from LASIK candidates.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the variability of subjective corneal topography map classification between different experienced examiners and the impact of changing from an absolute to a normative scale on the classifications. METHODS: Preoperative axial curvature maps using Scheimpflug imaging obtained with the Pentacam HR (Oculus Optikgeräte, Wetzlar, Germany) and clinical parameters were sent to 11 corneal topography specialists for subjective classification according to the Ectasia Risk Scoring System. The study population included two groups: 11 eyes that developed ectasia after LASIK and 14 eyes that had successful and stable LASIK outcomes. Each case was first reviewed using the absolute scale masked to the patient group. After 3 months, the same cases were represented using a normative scale and reviewed again by the same examiners for new classifications masked to the patient group. RESULTS: Using the absolute scale, 17 of 25 (68%) cases had variations on the classifications from 0 to 4 for the same eye across examiners, and the overall agreement with the mode was 60%. Using the normative scale, the classifications from 11 of 25 (44%) cases varied from 0 to 4 for the same eye across examiners, and the overall agreement with the mode was 61%. Eight examiners (73%) reported statistically higher scores (P < .05) when using the normative scale. Considering all 550 topographic analyses (25 cases, 11 examiners, and two scales), the same classification from the two scales was reported for 121 case pairs (44%). CONCLUSION: There was significant inter-observer variability in the subjective classifications using the same scale, and significant intra-observer variability between scales. Changing from an absolute to a normative scale increased the scores on the classifications by the same examiner, but significant inter-observer variability in the subjective interpretation of the maps still persisted.

Enhanced Tomographic Assessment to Detect Corneal Ectasia Based on Artificial Intelligence.

PURPOSE: To improve the detection of corneal ectasia susceptibility using tomographic data. DESIGN: Multicenter case-control study. METHODS: Data from patients from 5 different clinics from South America, the United States, and Europe were evaluated. Artificial intelligence (AI) models were generated using Pentacam HR (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany) parameters to discriminate the preoperative data of 3 groups: stable laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) cases (2980 patients with minimum follow-up of 7 years), ectasia susceptibility (71 eyes of 45 patients that developed post-LASIK ectasia [PLE]), and clinical keratoconus (KC; 182 patients). Model accuracy was independently tested in a different set of stable LASIK cases (298 patients with minimum follow-up of 4 years) and in 188 unoperated patients with very asymmetric ectasia (VAE); these patients presented normal topography (VAE-NT) in 1 eye and clinically diagnosed ectasia in the other (VAE-E). Accuracy was evaluated with ROC curves. RESULTS: The random forest (RF) provided highest accuracy among AI models in this sample with 100% sensitivity for clinical ectasia (KC+VAE-E; cutoff 0.52), being named Pentacam Random Forest Index (PRFI). Considering all cases, the PRFI had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.992 (94.2% sensitivity, 98.8% specificity; cutoff 0.216), being statistically higher than the Belin/Ambrósio deviation (BAD-D; AUC = 0.960, 87.3% sensitivity, 97.5% specificity; P = .006, DeLong's test). The optimized cutoff of 0.125 provided sensitivity of 85.2% for VAE-NT and 80% for PLE, with 96.6% specificity. CONCLUSION: The PRFI enhances ectasia diagnosis. Further integrations with corneal biomechanical parameters and with the corneal impact from laser vision correction are needed for assessing ectasia risk.

Application of different Scheimpflug-based lens densitometry methods in phacodynamics prediction.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the correlations between preoperative Scheimpflug-based lens densitometry metrics and phacodynamics. METHODS: The Lens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III) was used to grade nuclear opalescence (NO), along with different methods of lens densitometry evaluation (absolute scale from 0% to 100%): three-dimensional (3D), linear, and region of interest (ROI) modes. Cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) and total ultrasound (US) time were recorded and correlated with the different methods of cataract grading. Significant correlations were evaluated using Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients according to data normality. RESULTS: A positive correlation was detected between the NO score and the average density and the maximum density derived from the 3D mode (r=0.624, P<0.001; r=0.619, P<0.001, respectively) and the ROI mode (r=0.600, P<0.001; r=0.642, P<0.001, respectively). Regarding the linear mode, only the average density parameter presented a significant relationship with the NO score (r=0.569, P<0.001). The 3D-derived average density and maximum density were positively correlated with CDE (rho =0.682, P<0.001; rho =0.683, P<0.001, respectively) and total US time (rho =0.631 and rho =0.668, respectively). There was a linear relationship between the average density and maximum density of the ROI mode and CDE (rho =0.686, P<0.001; rho =0.598, P<0.001, respectively) and total US time (rho =0.642 and rho =0.644, respectively). The average density was the only parameter derived from the linear mode that showed a significant correlation with CDE (rho =0.522, P<0.001) and total US time (rho =0.450, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Specific Scheimpflug-derived densitometric parameters of the nucleus correlated with phacoemulsification parameters. The use of the appropriate densitometry approach can predict more efficiently the phacodynamics.

Detection of ectatic corneal diseases based on pentacam.

Pentacam is a rotating Scheimpflug-based corneal and anterior segment tomographer that gives as comprehensive analysis of corneal 3D geometry. With this device the detection of mild keratoconus or ectasia susceptibility is possible. This is fundamental for screening ectasia risk prior to laser vision correction. The identification of susceptible cases at risk for developing progressive iatrogenic ectasia should go beyond (but not over) corneal front surface topography.

Avaliação das alterações biomecânicas da córnea antes e após lasik em pacientes míopes e hipermetrópes utilizando Moriá® Sub-Bowman's Keratomileusis (SBK) / Differences in early biomechanical properties after myopic and hyperopic lasik using mechanical microkeratome Sub-Bowman's Keratomileusis (SBK)

OBJETIVO: Avaliar e comparar as alterações biomecânicas da córnea por meio do Ocular Response Analyzer® (ORA Reichert Ophtalmics Instruments, Buffalo, New York, USA) antes e após Lasik com Moriá ® Sub Bowman Keratomileusis (SBK) One Use Plus (OUP) em pacientes míopes e hipermetrópes. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 33 olhos, sendo 19 olhos míopes e 14 olhos hipermetrópes submetidos à cirurgia refrativa com técnica Lasik com flap fino (100 µ) utilizando Moriá SBK OUP. O ORA foi realizado no pré-operatório e 1 mês após a cirurgia para avaliar a biomecânica da córnea. O CH (Corneal Hysteresis), CRF (Corneal Resistance Factor), IOPg (goldmann gold standard, Goldmann correlated intraocular pressure) a IOPcc (corneal compensated intraocular pressure) e mais 38 variáveis biomecânicas da córnea derivadas do sinal de resposta foram avaliados. O Teste de Kolmogorov-Smirnov foi utilizado para avaliar a distribuição normal. O teste de Wilcoxon foi utilizado para comparar as variáveis antes e após a cirurgia para cada grupo. As diferenças entre as medidas pré e pós-operatórias dos olhos míopes foram comparadas com as diferenças obtidas nos olhos hipermetrópes, utilizando-se o teste de Mann-Whitney. Foi considerado como estatisticamente significante p < 0,05%. RESULTADOS: Houve diferença significativa antes e após Lasik em olhos míopes e hipermetrópes na variável IOPg(Wilcoxon, p <0,05), porém não houve em IOPcc. Somente em olhos míopes houve diferenças significativas em CH e CRF, antes e após Lasik com Moriá SBK OUP, como também 9 parâmetros derivados do ORA Waveform_Sinal Gráfico (aspect1, h1, dive1, path1, p1area1, W11, H11, and w2 path11; Wilcoxon, p <0,05). Em olhos hipermetrópes houve diferenças antes e após Lasik das seguintes variáveis: aspect2, h2, dive2, mslew2 e H21 (Wilcoxon p<0,05).Diferenças nas variáveis IOPg e p1area, antes e após Lasik foram maiores em olhos míopes do que hipermetrópes (Mann-Whitey, p <0.05). CONCLUSÃO: Existem alterações das propriedades biomecânicas da córnea após Lasik com Moriá SBK OUP. Em geral, o impacto da biomecânica da córnea após Lasik em olhos míopes é maior do que em olhos hipermetrópes. As mudanças das variáveis relacionadas ao primeiro pico de aplanação (ORA waveform) são mais vistos em olhos míopes e as relacionadas ao segundo pico de aplanação em olhos hipermetrópes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate biomechanical changes measured with the ORA (Ocular Response Analyzer®; Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments, Buffalo, New York, USA) after Lasik with the Moria One Use Plus and to compare the biomechanics changes after myopic and hyperopic ablations. METHODS: Fourteeneyes for hyperopia (H) and 19 eyes for myopia (M) were evaluated with the ORA preoperatively and 1 month after Lasik with thin flap (100 microns) using SBK-OUP (Sub-Bowman Keratomileusis - One Use Plus, Moria®).CH (Corneal Hysteresis), CRF (Corneal Resistance Factor), IOPg (gold-standard, Goldmann correlated Intraocular pressure), IOPcc (Corneal compensated Intraocular pressure) and more 38 variables derived from the corneal biomechanical response signal of the ORA were analyzed. The Wilcoxon test was used to assess differences between the variables before and after surgery for each group and the differences between the pre and postoperative (1 month) myopic eyes were compared with those obtained in hyperopic eyes, using the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: There was a significant difference before and after Lasik in myopic and hyperopic eyes in IOPg (Wilcoxon, p <0.05), but not in IOPcc. Only myopic eyes showed a significant difference in CH and CRF measurements before and after LASIK, as well as 9 other biomechanical parameters (aspect1, h1, dive1, path1, p1area1, W11, H11, and w2 path11; Wilcoxon, p <0, 05), 8 of these being related to the first sign of flattening.Five parameters related to the sign of the second applanation showed significant variation only in the eyes before and after hyperopic Lasik (aspect2, h2, dive2, mslew2 and H21; Wilcoxon, p<0,05).There was a difference in both myopic and hyperopic on three parameters related to the applanation signal areas (p1area, and p2area p2area1; Wilcoxon, p <0.05). Differences in IOPg and p1area, before and after surgery were significantly higher in myopic eyes than in hyperopic eyes (Mann-Whitey, p <0.05). CONCLUSION: There are several significant differences in biomechanical parameters after Lasik with Moria OUP_SBK. Overall, the impact of myopic LASIK on corneal biomechanics is higher than of hyperopic Lasik. The parameters derived from the first sign of the ORA are more affected in myopic LASIK, whereas parameters derived from the second applanation are more affected in hyperopic LASIK.