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Smartphone-based imaging of the corneal endothelium at sub-cellular resolution

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posted on 2018-06-20, 00:00 authored by Devrim Toslak, Damber Thapa, Muhammet K. Erol, Yanjun Chen, Xincheng Yao
This aim of this study was to test the feasibility of smartphone-based specular microscopy of the corneal endothelium at a sub-cellular resolution. Quantitative examination of endothelial cells is essential for evaluating corneal disease such as determining a diagnosis, monitoring progression, and assessing treatment. Smartphone based technology promises a new opportunity to develop affordable devices to foster quantitative examination of endothelial cells in rural and underserved areas. In our study, we incorporated an iPhone 6 and a slit lamp to demonstrate the feasibility of smartphone-based microscopy of the corneal endothelium at a sub-cellular resolution. The sub-cellular resolution images allowed quantitative calculation of the endothelial cell density. Comparative measurements revealed a normal endothelial cell density of 2,978 cells/mm2 in the healthy cornea, and a significantly reduced cell density of 1,466 cells/mm2 in the diseased cornea with Fuchs distrophy. Our ultimate goal is to develop a smartphone-based telemedicine device for low-cost examination of the corneal endothelium, which can benefit patients in rural areas and underdeveloped countries to reduce healthcare disparities.

Funding

Toslak is supported by a visiting scholarship from the Department of Public Hospitals Authority, Turkey. Erol is supported by Antalya Training and Research Hospital. Thapa and Yao are supported in part by NIH R01 EY023522, NIH R01 EY024628, NIH P30 EY001792, and NSF CBET-1055889.

History

Publisher Statement

Post print version of article may differ from published version. This is an electronic version of an article published in Toslak, D., Thapa, D., Erol, M. K., Chen, Y. and Yao, X. Smartphone-based imaging of the corneal endothelium at sub-cellular resolution. Journal of Modern Optics. 2016. 1-4. Journal of Modern Optics is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/ DOI: 10.1080/09500340.2016.1267815

Citation

Toslak, D., Thapa, D., Erol, M. K., Chen, Y. and Yao, X. Smartphone-based imaging of the corneal endothelium at sub-cellular resolution. Journal of Modern Optics. 2016. 1-4. DOI: 10.1080/09500340.2016.1267815.

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Language

  • en_US

issn

0950-0340

Issue date

2016-12-25

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