Exact knowledge of the optical properties of the separate corneal components is necessary for planning eye surgery with predictable refractive outcomes. Until recently the measurements of the corneal optics have been based on technology introduced in the middle of the nineteenth century, which is limited to the direct measurements of only the anterior corneal surface, while the optical contribution from the rest of the cornea has been only mathematically estimated. This has been one of the major factors leading to limited expectation concerning the postoperative refractive error in cataract and refractive surgery, especially in corneas that underwent previous surgery, injuries, serious inflammations with scar formation, as well as in corneas dystrophies and degenerations Precisely measured values of all optical components of the cornea became possible only recently, after the introduction of the advanced digital imaging, especially optical coherence tomography. The project aims to identify the most suitable corneal-optical-measurement technology by comparing the currently available instruments. Their clinical suitability will be tested within three scientific studies covering the subjects not previously covered in the peer reviewed literature. The commercially available corneal imaging and measurement-instruments employ proprietary technological solutions, not publicly available for scientific scrutiny. For that reason, their analysis and comparisons will represent a critical R&D challenge, requiring a comprehensive knowledge of the core technology by the project's scientific team. Our project findings will generate an objective recommendation for the most appropriate use of the available corneal imaging technology in diagnostic and surgical planning in cataract and refractive surgery and may help establish a new surgical paradigm by lifting the expected outcomes from the good vision with help of glasses or contact lenses, to excellent postoperative vision without use of optical aids.
