Central corneal thickness measurements using Orbscan II, Visante, ultrasound, and Pentacam pachymetry after laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia

PURPOSE: To compare corneal pachymetry assessment using 4 measurement methods in eyes after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for myopia. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong SAR. METHODS: Fifty-two consecutive patients (103 eyes) who had LASIK for the correction of myopia had Orbscan II (Bausch & Lomb), Visante (Carl Zeiss Meditec), Pentacam (Oculus, Inc.), and ultrasound (US) pachymetry (Sonomed, 200P) 6 months after surgery. Data were analyzed using the paired sample t test, Bland-Altman plots, and linear regression. RESULTS: The mean postoperative pachymetry measured by US, Orbscan (0.89 acoustic factor), Pentacam, and Visante pachymetry were 438.2 microm+/-41.18 (SD), 435.17+/-49.63 microm, 430.66+/-40.23 microm, and 426.56+/-41.6 microm, respectively. Compared with the US measurement, Pentacam and Visante measurements significantly underestimated corneal thickness by a mean of 7.54+/-15.06 microm (P<.01) and 11.64+/-12.87 microm (P<.01), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between US and Orbscan measurements. CONCLUSION: Pentacam and Visante measurements of corneal thickness 6 months after LASIK were significantly less than those obtained using Orbscan and US pachymetry, although all 4 measurement methods showed a high correlation with each other.