What is Corneal Topography?
Corneal topography is a computerized test that maps the curve of your cornea, the outer structure of the eye. It provides a computerised image and a three-dimensional map of the eye surface. Since the cornea is normally responsible for some 70% of the eye's refractive power, topography is of critical importance in determining the quality of vision and corneal health.
Why do we do Corneal Topography maps?
This type of analysis provides the optometrist with very fine details regarding the condition of the corneal surface. These details are used to diagnose, monitor, and treat various eye conditions. It can show problems with your eye’s surface, like swelling or scarring, or conditions such as astigmatism. You might have it before you get surgery, a cornea transplant, or a contact lens fitting. An eye with normal vision has an evenly rounded cornea, but if the cornea is too flat, too steep, or unevenly curved, less than perfect vision results. The greatest advantage of corneal topography is its ability to detect irregular conditions invisible to most conventional testing.
How is the test result interpreted?
Computer software digitizes photographed data points to produce a printout of the corneal shape, using different colors to identify different elevations, much like a topographic map of the earth displays changes in the land surface.
How long does the test take and is it painful?
The non-contact testing is painless and brief.