6533b832fe1ef96bd129ae67

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Inter-observer variability of central corneal thickness measurements using non-contact specular microscopy after laser in situ keratomileusis.

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BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the inter-observer variability of central corneal thickness measurements carried out with a non-contact specular microscope in patients who had undergone myopic laser in situ keratomileusis. METHODS Twenty-six eyes of 26 subjects who had undergone myopic laser in situ keratomileusis were studied with the Topcon SP-2000P non-contact specular microscope (Topcon Corp, Tokyo, Japan). The mean of three consecutive measurements of the central corneal thickness was recorded by two investigators prior to and one month after myopic laser in situ keratomileusis. Results obtained by each of the two physicians were compared. RESULTS Prior to surgery the mean central corneal thickness was 536.2 +/- 22.2 microm for physician 1 and 536.3 +/- 22.2 microm for physician 2 (p = 0.980). The pre-operative 95 per cent confidence interval was 522.7 to 544.2 microm (physician 1) and 523.1 to 544.1 microm (physician 2). The mean central corneal thickness was 485.8 +/- 29.3 microm for physician 1 and 485.6 +/- 28.0 micro m for physician 2 one month after laser in situ keratomileusis (p = 0.977). The post-operative 95 per cent confidence intervals were 470.1 to 496.2 microm and 470.3 to 495.4 microm for physicians 1 and 2, respectively. CONCLUSION Central corneal thickness measurements can be carried out by different clinicians after laser in situ keratomileusis with non-contact specular pachymetry, without there being any significant differences among them.