Imaging corneal cells using low power laser beams

A simple method of characterising epithelial and endothelial corneal cells using laser light is presented. A continuous wave helium-neon laser emitting at a wavelength of 632.8 nm and a continuous wave argon laser emitting at 488 and 514.5 nm were used. The cell images obtained were used to calculate the dimensions of the endothelial corneal cells, a typical value being 34–36 μm diameter, with overall measurement errors of ±21%. An optical mechanism for obtaining images is proposed and comments are made about the possibility of using this method as a diagnostic tool in corneal disease.