title: Inter-observer variability of central corneal thickness measurements using non-contact specular microscopy after laser in situ keratomileusis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the inter-observer variability of central corneal thickness measurements carried out with a non-contact specular microscope in patients who had undergone myopic laser in situ keratomileusis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six eyes of 26 subjects who had undergone myopic laser in situ keratomileusis were studied with the Topcon SP-2000P non-contact specular microscope (Topcon Corp, Tokyo, Japan). The mean of three consecutive measurements of the central corneal thickness was recorded by two investigators prior to and one month after myopic laser in situ keratomileusis. Results obtained by each of the two physicians were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prior to surgery the mean central corneal thickness was 536.2 +/- 22.2 microm for physician 1 and 536.3 +/- 22.2 microm for physician 2 (p = 0.980). The pre-operative 95 per cent confidence interval was 522.7 to 544.2 microm (physician 1) and 523.1 to 544.1 microm (physician 2). The mean central corneal thickness was 485.8 +/- 29.3 microm for physician 1 and 485.6 +/- 28.0 micro m for physician 2 one month after laser in situ keratomileusis (p = 0.977). The post-operative 95 per cent confidence intervals were 470.1 to 496.2 microm and 470.3 to 495.4 microm for physicians 1 and 2, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Central corneal thickness measurements can be carried out by different clinicians after laser in situ keratomileusis with non-contact specular pachymetry, without there being any significant differences among them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sanchis-Gimeno
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lleo-Perez
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Saleh M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rahhal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011184:Postoperative Period