Evaluation of a Micro-Optical Coherence Tomography for the Corneal Endothelium in an Animal Model

Abstract

Corneal diseases are the second most common cause of vision loss1,2, with over 180 million people worldwide estimated to be suffering from secondary visual impairment1. Corneal transplantation still remains the main method for restoring vision once corneal clarity is affected3. Thus, evaluation and imaging of the cornea is important for early diagnosis, to allow for timely intervention and prevention of permanent corneal damage. Recent developments in surgical techniques have enabled surgeons to perform selective replacement of the diseased layer of the cornea – which may lead to improved corneal graft survival and surgical outcomes3. In particular, selective replacement of both the endothelial layer4, and the stromal layer5, may confer advantages such as tectonic stability or a rapid visual recovery, compared to replacing the entire cornea during transplantation. Thus, the role of imaging to delineate corneal layers is becoming increasingly important in the pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative assessment of patients requiring corneal transplantation.