Specular Microscopy (Microscopia Especular)

Assessing the Cornea with Specular Microscopy

• Cell density (ECD)

• Cell size variation

• Cell shape variation

• Corneal thickness (pachymetry)

Konan CellChek XL™ Technology

• Specular reflection of the endothelium - aqueous interface
• High definition, 440x microscopic view of endothelial morphology
• Easy and automated focus, alignment, capture of data
• Auto-cell counting + patented Center Method analysis
• Robust detailed analytics
• Position data of sample to assess change over time

Normal Endothelial Cell Density (ECD)

Normal ECD declines with age

Low ECD

Low ECD is a risk factor for cataract and corneal surgeries that can be missed without the use of specular microscopy.

Polymegethism

Change from uniform cell sizes to variable cell sizes is an indication of distress to the endothelium.

Pleomorphism

Change from optimum hexagonal cell geometry to variable / compromised cell shapes.

Normal ECD with Polymegethism and Pleomorphism

Here the ECD is typical, but there are also large changes in morphology with high variance in cell area / sizes (pleomorphism) and a large number of non-hexagonal cell shapes (4, 5, 7 sided cells, ie. pleomorphism). A cell count without cellular morphology statistics may be misleading.

Konan Quote

Konan specular microscopes are recognized in the industry as the de facto standard for ECD determination. This is supported in the minutes from the FDA panel meeting to discuss the ARTISAN® lens:

"Data from 12 sites were chosen because they used the Konan specular microscopes. This instrument is now the accepted standard for the most accurate determination of endothelial cell density." R. Doyle Stulting, MD, PhD.