Pentacam
A Pentacam is a non-invasive and non-contact diagnostic instrument that provides a 3-dimensional image of the anterior portion of the eye. It consists of a rotating camera which captures a series of images. These images are used to measure the thickness and topography of the cornea, and angle and density of the lens.
During the examination you will sit on a chair, place your chin on a chin rest, and gently press your forehead against a headband. You are instructed to keep both eyes open and stare at a black spot in the centre of a blue fixation beam of the instrument. Your investigator focuses and centralises your eyes within the aiming circle. The Pentacam is a computer-aided system that automatically captures the images by rotating 180 degrees. The Pentacam captures images at a rate of approximately 25 per second. The examination for both eyes takes only a few minutes to complete but in some instances if the image quality is not to a high standard, you may be asked to relax and blink a few times before having the scan repeated.