The Orbscan is a quick and painless diagnostic test that analyzes and measures the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye where light rays enter. When considering laser vision correction or cataract surgery, this advanced diagnostic device is a real advantage over most other corneal diagnostic equipment available today. This -uation offers critical information that ultimately determines a patient's candidacy for LASIK.

It assists the surgeon in analyzing the shape of the cornea and any irregularities that may exist on its front and back surface. It also measures the thickness of the cornea. In order to have LASIK, the cornea must have enough tissue to allow for the flap and still have enough tissue to remove to compensate for the amount of your refractive error. If the cornea is too thin or shows the early signs of a progressive thinning of the cornea called, keratoconus, you may possibly be a candidate for LASEK or PRK instead of LASIK.

The output of this test, called elevation topography, is a three-dimensional mapping of the contours of the eye. Some diagnostic devices measure only the front surface of the eye. Elevation topography enables clinicians to more accurately visualize the shape of abnormal corneas, which leads to more accurate diagnoses and more consistent surgical results.