Corneal polarimetry after LASIK refractive surgery

Juan M. Bueno; Esther Berrio; Pablo Artal

doi:10.1117/1.2154747

1 January 2006 Corneal polarimetry after LASIK refractive surgery

Juan M. Bueno, Esther Berrio, Pablo Artal

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 11, Issue 1, 014001 (January 2006). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.2154747

Abstract

Imaging polarimetry provides spatially resolved information on the polarization properties of a system. In the case of the living human eye, polarization could be related to the corneal biomechanical properties, which vary from the normal state as a result of surgery or pathologies. We have used an aberro-polariscope, which we recently developed, to determine and to compare the spatially resolved maps of polarization parameters across the pupil between normal healthy and post-LASIK eyes. The depolarization distribution is not uniform across the pupil, with post-surgery eyes presenting larger levels of depolarization. While retardation increases along the radius in normal eyes, this pattern becomes irregular after LASIK refractive surgery. The maps of slow axis also differ in normal and post-surgery eyes, with a larger disorder in post-LASIK eyes. Since these changes in polarization indicate subtle structural modifications of the cornea, this approach can be useful in a clinical environment to follow the biomechanical and optical changes of the cornea after refractive surgery or for the early diagnosis of different corneal pathologies.

©(2006) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Citation Download Citation

Juan M. Bueno, Esther Berrio, and Pablo Artal "Corneal polarimetry after LASIK refractive surgery," Journal of Biomedical Optics 11(1), 014001 (1 January 2006). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.2154747

Published: 1 January 2006

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

JOURNAL ARTICLE
6 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY