Advances in anterior segment imaging and analysis

Abstract

Purpose of review: Efforts to visualize and quantify key aspects of anterior segment ocular anatomy have fostered the development of many new imaging modalities and supportive technological advances in the last decade. This has been accompanied by an increase in the quantity and complexity of data available to the clinician. This article briefly reviews recent imaging advances and new challenges in the effective use of these complex datasets to solve clinical problems.

Recent findings: The current revolution in corneal imaging includes two advancing fronts: new or improved imaging modalities and new methods of data representation. Areas of significant activity include increased speed and resolution, enhanced microstructural imaging, and marked increases in the amount of data available on the three-dimensional macrostructure and microstructure of the cornea. Some efforts to represent these data in clinically useful terms and to emphasize critical interpretation of the end-user data are reviewed.

Summary: Recent advances in anterior segment imaging technology bring new opportunities and novel challenges to the end-user. These developments are capable of producing increasingly sophisticated three-dimensional representations of the anterior segment that will support novel applications for the diagnosis and treatment of anterior segment disease.