Early findings in a randomised controlled trial on crosslinking protocols using isoosmolar and hypoosmolar riboflavin for the treatment of progressive keratoconus.

Purpose: To present baseline characteristics and to present the perioperative corneal thickness during corneal crosslinking (CXL) treatment for progressive keratoconus and to describe how the addition of sterile water (SW) efficaciously can maintain the corneal thickness. The treatment efficacy will be evaluated when the 1-year follow-up is complete.

Methods: A randomised clinical study using epithelium-off CXL with continuous UVA irradiation (9 mW/cm) and two kinds of riboflavin solutions: (i) isoosmolar dextran-based riboflavin (n = 27) and (ii) hypoosmolar dextran-free riboflavin (n = 27).

Comparison of perimetric 24-2 and 30-2 test patterns in detecting visual field defects in patients with tumours in the pituitary region.

Purpose: Automated perimetry provides a standardized method of measuring the visual field. The Humphrey Field Analyser (HFA) uses the 24-2 test pattern to cover 24 degrees centrally or the 30-2 test pattern to cover a slightly broader region of 30 degrees. The aim of this study was to determine whether the 24-2 test pattern provides comparable information to the 30-2 test pattern in detecting visual field defects in patients with tumours in the pituitary region.

Patient experience and repeatability of measurements made with the Pentacam HR in patients with keratoconus.

Background: To investigate whether the repeatability of measurements with the Pentacam HR in patients with keratoconus is improved by patients gaining more experience of the measurement situation. Such an improvement could enhance the accuracy with which progressive keratoconus can be detected.

Methods: Four replicate measurements were performed on Day 0 and on Day 3.

The intra- and inter-day repeatability of corneal densitometry measurements in subjects with keratoconus and in healthy controls.

The healthy cornea is transparent, however, disease can affect its structure, rendering it more or less opaque. The ability to assess the clarity of the cornea objectively could thus be of considerable interest for keratoconus patients. It has previously been suggested that densitometry can be used to diagnose early keratoconus, and that the values of densitometry variables increase with increasing disease severity, indicating that densitometry could also be used to assess progressive keratoconus.

Comparison of clinicians and an artificial neural network regarding accuracy and certainty in performance of visual field assessment for the diagnosis of glaucoma.

Purpose: To compare clinicians and a trained artificial neural network (ANN) regarding accuracy and certainty of assessment of visual fields for the diagnosis of glaucoma.

Methods: Thirty physicians with different levels of knowledge and experience in glaucoma management assessed 30-2 SITA Standard visual field printouts that included full Statpac information from 99 patients with glaucomatous optic neuropathy and 66 healthy subjects. Glaucomatous eyes with perimetric mean deviation values worsethan -10 dB were not eligible.

Integration and fusion of standard automated perimetry and optical coherence tomography data for improved automated glaucoma diagnostics.

Background: The performance of glaucoma diagnostic systems could be conceivably improved by the integration of functional and structural test measurements that provide relevant and complementary information for reaching a diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of data fusion methods and techniques for simple combination of Standard Automated Perimetry (SAP) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) data for the diagnosis of glaucoma using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs).

Methods: Humphrey 24-2 SITA standard SAP and StratusOCT tests were prospectively collected from a randomly selected population of 125 healthy persons and 135 patients with glaucomatous optic nerve heads and used as input for the ANNs.

Machine learning classifiers for glaucoma diagnosis based on classification of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness parameters measured by Stratus OCT.

Purpose: To compare the performance of two machine learning classifiers (MLCs), artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machines (SVMs), with input based on retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFLT) measurements by optical coherence tomography (OCT), on the diagnosis of glaucoma, and to assess the effects of different input parameters.

Methods: We analysed Stratus OCT data from 90 healthy persons and 62 glaucoma patients. Performance of MLCs was compared using conventional OCT RNFLT parameters plus novel parameters such as minimum RNFLT values, 10th and 90th percentiles of measured RNFLT, and transformations of A-scan measurements.

Trained artificial neural network for glaucoma diagnosis using visual field data: a comparison with conventional algorithms.

Purpose: To evaluate and confirm the performance of an artificial neural network (ANN) trained to recognize glaucomatous visual field defects, and compare its diagnostic accuracy with that of other algorithms proposed for the detection of visual field loss.

Methods: SITA Standard 30-2 visual fields, from 100 glaucoma patients and 116 healthy participants, formed the data set. Our ANN was a previously described fully trained network using scored pattern deviation probability maps as input data.

Effects of input data on the performance of a neural network in distinguishing normal and glaucomatous visual fields.

Purpose: To compare the performance of neural networks for perimetric glaucoma diagnosis when using different types of data inputs: numerical threshold sensitivities, Statpac Total Deviation and Pattern Deviation, and probability scores based on Total and Pattern Deviation probability maps (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA).

Methods: The results of SITA Standard visual field tests in 213 healthy subjects, 127 patients with glaucoma, 68 patients with concomitant glaucoma and cataract, and 41 patients with cataract only were included.