Technical bulletin

GALILEI
Dual Scheimpflug technology

Perfect Pachymetry with

Dual Scheimpflug Technology1 Averaged Deviation left Deviation right
40
27.9
20
Dual vs. Single Scheimpflug
-2.6 -0.64 -0.16 -0.16 -0.64 -2.6
The principal advantage of Dual Scheimpflug over Single

[µm]
0
Scheimpflug is the compensation of misalignment or
-20
decentration which can occur when performing pachy­
metry or measuring posterior heights. The GALILEI device -33.1
-40
employs 2 opposing Scheimpflug cameras, each rotating -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
Dezentration
Decentration x [mm]
(mm)
180 degrees, which compensate for the effect of x–y
decentration in the pachymetry measurement. With Dual
Scheimpflug imaging, corresponding corneal thickness
data from each view are simply averaged to compensate
Fig 2. This graphic simulates the apparent thickness deviation of a
for unintentional misalignment which results in a corrected spherical cornea with a thickness of 500 μm and a decentration of up
measurement value at the corresponding location (figure to ±1 mm. The thickness deviations from the true value are repre­
sented in red and blue, as seen from the left view and from the right
1). The software interface allows the user to view the
view, respectively.
acquired Placido or Top View image and simultaneously
acquired Scheimpflug images, either left or right. Averaging
the corresponding thickness values reduces the deviation
by a factor of ten without needing to correct for decen­ Summary
tration (figure 2). The Dual Scheimpflug imaging principle
is independent of inclined surfaces giving it the possibility • D ual Scheimpflug compensates for decentered
to produce repeatable measurements without knowledge eyes and delivers precise pachymetry data –
of the actual decentration of the slit from the apex. This even with the eye decentered.
is an important feature, particularly as eyes are always in • Simple averaging of the thicknesses in the two
motion. corresponding Scheimpflug views reduces error
by a factor of 10 without the need for correcting
the misalignment.
• Using Placido topography with Scheimpflug
imaging improves the accuracy of the central
A Slit lamp
B anterior corneal curvature calculation.
Apex

L R

45˚ References:
Apparent slit
lamp images
1 C
 ynthia J. Roberts, Ph.D. and Benno J. Züger, Ph.D. The Advan­
Cornea tage and Principle of Dual Scheimpflug Imaging for Analyzing
X the Anterior Segment of the Human Eye. SIS Surgical Instrument
Systems AG Port, Switzerland. April, 2006.

Fig 1. A: In the centered instrument condition, the apparent slit

images in both Scheimpflug views are identical. The slit light is per­
pendicular to the spherical surface, therefore the viewing angles for
both cameras are equal. B: In the decentered condition, either left or
right, the apparent slit images are no longer identical. The slit light is
not perpendicular to the surface. Therefore, the apparent slit image
is thicker in the left view and thinner in the right view, or vice versa,
depending on the direction of decentration.

Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems AG, CH-2562 Port, Switzerland | www.ziemergroup.com | clinical@ziemergroup.com