SPECULAR MICROSCOPY

Course overview

SPECULAR MICROSCOPY IS A NON-INVASIVE DIAGNOSTIC MODALITY TO IMAGE THE CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM. IT ALLOWS DETAILED IN VIVO ANALYSIS OF CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM IN HEALTHY AND DISEASED EYES. SPECULAR MICROSCOPY HELPS IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF SEVERAL ENDOTHELIAL PATHOLOGIES. COMMON ENDOTHELIAL PATHOLOGIES SUCH AS FUCH'S ENDOTHELIAL DYSTROPHY, CONGENITAL HEREDITARY ENDOTHELIAL DYSTROPHY, IRIDOCORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL SYNDROME, VIRAL ENDOTHELITIS, DRUGS, TRAUMA, AND UVEITIS MAY ALTER THE ENDOTHELIAL CELL MORPHOLOGY AND FUNCTIONAL STATUS AND MAY RESULT IN CORNEAL EDEMA AND VISION LOSS. EVEN OVERUSE OF CONTACT LENSES AND INTRAOCULAR SURGERY MAY DAMAGE THE ENDOTHELIUM. THE TECHNIQUE CAN BE CONTACT, NON-CONTACT, AUTOMATED, MANUAL, OR BOTH. A SPECULAR MICROSCOPE HAS COMPUTER-ASSISTED MORPHOMETRY, WHICH ANALYSES ENDOTHELIAL CELLS' SIZE, SHAPE, NUMBER, AND DENSITY. IT IS A VALUABLE TOOL IN CLINICAL PRACTICE TO EXAMINE THE HEALTH OF CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM BEFORE PLANNING SURGERY IN COMPROMISED ENDOTHELIAL CASES AND EXPLAIN THE PROGNOSIS TO THE PATIENTS. THIS ACTIVITY IS FOCUSED ON INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, EQUIPMENT USED, TECHNIQUE, COMPLICATIONS, AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SPECULAR MICROSCOPY IN DETAIL.