Langer C., Bredehorn T., Duncker G. I. W., Wilhelm F.

Department of Ophthalmology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 8, 06112 Halle Germany

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the Konan KeratoAnalyzer Eye Bank specular microscope with standard phasecontrast microscopy in determination the endothelial cell density on corneal grafts.
Methods: 64 measurements on 29 corneal grafts were done. First a photograph of the endothelium was taken using the phase-contrast microscope. Endothelial cell density was calculated after doing manuall cell-count. After it, the endothelial cell density was determinated using the KeratoAnalyzer. Both methods were compared.
Results: We found a difference of 18% between both methods. After splitting data into two groups with less than 20 cells used for calculation and 20 or more cells used for calculation with the KeratoAnalyser, we found a much better correlation of the endothelial cell densitys in the second group (20 or more cells used in 33 measurements, p<0,05).
Conclusion: Using the KeratoAnalyzer it is important to get 20 or more cells into calculation. This was possible only in half of the measurements. One reason for this could be that the KeratoAnalyser was created for examinating cold storage corneal grafts. If less than 20 cells are used for calculation we expect more unprecise results. A big advantage of the KeratoAnalyzer ist the examiation of endothelial morphology, wich is difficult to be done manually.

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