Slit Skiascopic-guided ablation using the Nidek laser

PURPOSE: To present the approach of using a scanning slit refractometer (th e ARK 10000) in conjunction with a corneal topography system to guide custo mized corneal ablation, This diagnostic system is coupled with the Nidek EC -5000 system which combines scanning slit and a scanning small area ablatio n (1.0 mm) to perform a customized ablation. METHODS: The ARK 10000 diagnostic system which contains a scanning slit ref ractometer is described. Information generated from the ARK 10000 wavefront sensor and corneal topography system can be coupled to the new Nidek EC-50 00 excimer laser system, which combines the larger area of scanning slit ab lation with the small area (1.0 mm) ablation. RESULTS: The Nidek ARK 10000 diagnostic system captures wavefront informati on using a retinoscopic system which is converted into a refractive power m ap. This is different from other autorefraction systems in that it has four sensors at different diameters of the cornea and captures 1440 points in 0 .4 seconds. This map is used in conjunction with corneal topography-capture d simultaneously. This information is then combined to perform a customized ablation using the new Nidek EC-5000 system. CONCLUSIONS: The ARK 10000 diagnostic system represents a different approac h to customized ablation in that it combines a corneal topography system wi th a wavefront system and a larger treatment area of the traditional scanni ng slit ablation with a new small area ablation treatment for greater effic iency.