A Study of the Role of Pentacam in Identifying Ectasia Risks Among Keratorefractive Candidates

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the rate of excluded patients from keratorefractive surgery and the rate of ectasia risks among them. Keratectasia is a feared complication of keratorefractive surgery for the surgeon as well as patient. Therefore, there are various scoring systems and criteria have been proposed to detect the ectasia risks together with the incorporation of new refractive surgery technologies and imaging techniques which have enhanced refractive outcomes and limited serious complications after surgery. It can be concluded that Pentacam seems to be an effective tool in diagnosis of ectatic corneal disorders. Due to refractive surgery centers being referral centers and a beacon for ammetropic patients, keratorefractive clinics tend to report a higher percentage of keratoconus and other ectatic corneal disorders than that described in the literature. Also, an abnormal topography is still an important factor in screening patients for ectasia risk but it should be used with other parameters of the Pentacam which will increase the precision of detecting ectatic corneal disorders. However, displaced apex topography is not always associated with ectatic corneal disorders as this condition presents in normal patients with normal tomographic parameters. Conclusion 116 Limitations of the study 1- Small number of the study population. 2- Absence of fixed and documented protocol followed by most refractive surgeons. 3- Absence of follow-up of patients underwent keratorefractive surgery to determine the efficacy of screening parameters used.