Repeatability of Epithelial Thickness Mapping in Normal and Keratoconus Eyes Using a Novel Hybrid…

Cross-sectionalCornea· Jul 2026

Repeatability of Epithelial Thickness Mapping in Normal and Keratoconus Eyes Using a Novel Hybrid Scheimpflug-Optical Coherence Tomography Device.

Victor Aristide Augustin, Maximilian Friedrich, Julia Keim … Gerd Uwe Auffarth

CorneaCross-sectionalDiagnosisQ1IF 2.3

Corneal epithelial thickness measurements are slightly less repeatable in keratoconus than healthy eyes

Repeatability of Epithelial Thickness Mapping in Normal and Keratoconus Eyes Using a Novel Hybrid Scheimpflug-Optical Coherence Tomography Device.

Victor Aristide Augustin … Gerd Uwe Auffarth

Cornea · Jul 2026 · Q1 in Ophthalmology

Purpose

The aim of this study was to analyze the epithelial thickness measurement repeatability in healthy and keratoconus eyes and define severity-dependent thresholds.

Methods

This prospective, cross-sectional, observational, monocentric study included a total of 217 eyes of 217 subjects divided into a keratoconus group (166 eyes of 166 subjects) and a healthy control group (51 eyes of 51 subjects).

n = 217 eyes

Results

keratoconus eyes showed slightly less consistent repeat corneal-surface-layer thickness readings than healthy eyes

3.3RC

Healthy

3.9RC

Keratoconus

More results

The overall median repeatability with (repeatability coefficients = 3.7) and without tear film (repeatability coefficients = 3.8) did not differ significantly (P > 0.05).

Repeatability worsened significantly in severe keratoconus stages (P < 0.01), whereas crosslinking status had only a marginal effect.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

The hybrid tomographic device demonstrated high intrasubject repeatability for epithelial thickness assessment in healthy and keratoconus eyes, supporting its technical feasibility for clinical use.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Further studies are needed to analyze the benefit of incorporating epithelium into established keratoconus scores using the hybrid system.

Repeatability of Epithelial Thickness Mapping in Normal and Keratoconus Eyes Using a Novel Hybrid Scheimpflug-Optical Coherence Tomography Device.

Repeatability of Epithelial Thickness Mapping in Normal and Keratoconus Eyes Using a Novel Hybrid Scheimpflug-Optical Coherence Tomography Device.

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