Keratoscope

Keratoscope

 Is an ophthalmic instrument used to assess the

shape of the anterior surface of the cornea. A series
of concentric rings is projected onto the cornea and
their reflection viewed by the examiner through a
small hole in the centre of the disk.
 Keratoscopy is a method used to assess the curvature
and topography of the anterior surface of the cornea.
 Keratoscopy is based on the principle that the size of
reflected image depends on the radius of curvature of
reflecting surfaces.
 Unlike Keratometry which measures only the central of
the cornea.
 Keratoscope can evaluate almost the entire cornea
as well as can evaluate it is sphericity.
 The clinical uses of Keratoscope include the
followings:
1. Fitting of contact lenses.
2. Assessment of corneal changes caused by diseases
or anterior segment surgery.
 This method offers only a qualitative assessment of corneal
topography.
 More sophisticated viewing systems allow more quantitative
assessment of corneal topography is photokeratoscope
which use film to capture the image for assessment. The
more advance version is videokeratoscope which reflect the
image onto computer.
Keratometer
 Keratometer

 Keratometer, also known as a ophthalmometer, is

a diagnostic instrument for measuring the
curvature of the anterior surface of the cornea,
particularly for assessing the extent and axis of
astigmatism.
 Keratometry is a technique for measuring the

radius of curvature of anterior surface of the

cornea.
 Keratometer has a variety of clinical uses.
1. Use in CL fitting and verification.
2. Estimate the corneal changes in anomalies
(keratoconus)
3. Give total power of the cornea which help in
calculate the power of intraocular lens.
4. Measure corneal astigmatism.
5. Use in research to evaluate the contribution of
the corneal power in development of refractive
error.
 The basic components of Keratometer are:

1. An object to be reflected from anterior corneal

surface (first Purkinje image) which is called
mire.

2. Lens system to give the examiner a magnified

view of the reflected image (mire).

3. System to keep the reflected image in focus.

4. System to measure image size.

 Principle and optic of Keratometer

 The principle upon which Keratometer is based is

that the size of a reflected image is a function of the
radius of curvature of the surface from which is
reflected.

 Measure angular size of reflected image (first

Purkinje image) formed by anterior corneal surface

 Theimage is formed at a specific distance from the

object plane

 Virtual image formation behind the cornea

 This relation can be determined by finding the
magnification (M), which is ratio of image size to
object size.

 Referring to triangles M = h` _ (1)

h
 Newton's equation:

• State that the magnification of reflected image is equal

to the focal length of reflected surface divided by the
distance (X) from object to focal point. Thus

 M = h` = f _ (2)
h x
 InKeratometer, the distance between the object and
the anterior surface of cornea are relatively large to
the focal length of the anterior corneal surface.

 Thevirtual image formed by reflection from

anterior surface of the cornea is very close to focal
point (f) of corneal surface.

 Sothe (d) distance from the object to the image

formed by reflection is close approximation to (X) .
Thus we used (d) instead of (X) in equation.

M = h` = f _ (3)
h d
 The anterior surface of the cornea act as a mirror so
the radius of curvature of mirror equal the focal
length of it divided by two.
 Thus f = r

2
 M = h` = r
h 2
d
 h` = r
h 2d
 r h = 2d h`
• r= 2d h` = 2dm _ (4)
h
 r = 2dm

 This equation is known as the approximate

Keratometer equation.

 (d) is constant in most Keratometer available today

 (h) object size also constant

 So the radii of curvature (r) can be determined by

measuring image, which is the only unknown in
the equation.
 They are two types of Keratometers

 Two-position Keratometers

 Require rotation about the axis to measure each of the

principal meridians

 One- position Keratometers

 Simultaneous doubling of perpendicular pairs of mires

is produced by doubling devices in each of
corresponding meridians.

 The principal meridians are assumed to be at right

angle to each other.
Keratoscope mires