Short answer
Pentacam is Scheimpflug corneal tomography — a 3D scan of corneal thickness, curvature, and elevation taken before any refractive surgery. It rules out keratoconus and thin corneas that make LASIK unsafe. Every laser and ICL candidate should have tomography, not just refraction.
What does this scan measure?
Oculus Pentacam rotates a Scheimpflug camera around the eye, capturing cross-sections to build a thickness map and anterior/posterior elevation profiles. Indices like BAD-D flag keratoconus suspects.
What happens during the test
You sit at the device, chin on rest, and look at a target while the scan completes in seconds — no contact, no puff of air. Both eyes are usually scanned during pre-op assessment.
Why it matters before surgery
- ✓Keratoconus screening — irregular elevation halts LASIK/SMILE; may redirect to CXL or ICL pathways.
- •Residual stromal bed calculation — ensures enough tissue remains after flap and ablation.
- •Belin-Ambrosio analysis — detects subclinical ectasia risk before surgery.
- •Toric and astigmatism planning — complements refraction and topography.
What it cannot tell you alone
Pentacam does not measure axial length for IOL power — pair with IOLMaster or Pentacam AXL for lens surgery. It also cannot replace retinal OCT for macular disease.
Procedures that use this platform
Technology serves the procedure — your surgeon assigns platform after scans, not before enquiry. These are the treatment pages where this device typically appears in your written plan.
Related conditions: Keratoconus, Astigmatism, Myopia
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