WAVEFRONT CHARACTERIZATION OF CORNEAS

摘要

An Apparatus (11) for detennining if a cornea (whether in vitro or in vivo) has been modified ( either surgically or otherwise). The method includes the steps of: passing a beam of collimated light (13) a (either coherent or incoherent) through the cornea to produce a distorted wavefront; determining the characteristics of the distorted wavefront; and analyzing the distorted wavefront for characteristics that identify the presence of a modification. The analysis of the distorted wavefront can be for the presence of higher order aberrations, or Gausian characteristics which are indicative of modifications. More particularly, the method includes the steps of providing an optical system that has a pupil plane and an image plane at a detector; positioning the cornea in the pupil plane; passing a collimated beam of light through the cornea to produce at least two images in the image plane; detennining the characteristics of the distorted wavefront; and analyzing the distorted wavefront for characteristics that identify the presence of a modification.