MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM WITH 3 DIFFERENT SPECULAR MICROSCOPES

The morphometry of the central corneal endothelium of 10 eyes in 10 su bjects was analyzed with three different specular microscopes. Compute r-assisted analysis was performed with only two microscopes (Zeiss and Keeler Konan sp 3300) because the third microscope (Topcon sp 1000) c ould not be adapted to our computerized system. With this Topcon micro scope a grid with standard densities was used to compare the images wi th, in addition, we also performed manual cell counting on the same To pcon images. The coefficient of variation of the cell analysis of thre e different images per cornea with the four methods varied between 3.4 and 4.7 percent. One-way analysis of variance showed a significant di fference between the Zeiss and the other microscopes. So only the Keel er Konan and the Topcon microscopes could be used interchangeably, The computerized image analysis permitted also an evaluation of the hexag onality. The results of polygonality were not significantly different between the Zeiss and the Keeler Konan. For clinical purposes the Topc on specular microscope is more advantageous than the other two methods , since it is the most rapid way to record and analyze specular images . But for more precise measurements an image processing system is indi spensable.