The Topography of Corneal Disease

Abstract

This article is the seventh in a series which describes the role of computerized videokeratoscopy and highlights its value in different clinical settings. It illustrates and describes the variety of topographic patterns seen with corneal disease. Essentially, there are 3 basic mechanisms by which pathological processes can disrupt the surface topography of the cornea. These include abnormalities of the epithelium, degradation of the stroma and external compression from lid or orbital masses. With the advent of computerized videokeratoscopy, we can now easily detect and quantify such abnormalities. The mechanisms by which corneal disease effects changes in the corneal topography are illustrated and discussed. The possible clinical applications of videokeratoscopy in the management of corneal disease are reviewed.