The relief mode. New application of the corneal specular microscope
E. S. Sherrard and R. J. Buckley
The growing clinical use of specular microscopy for the examination of the
corneal endothelium demands accurate interpretation of the various
abnormalities or "events" encountered in the specular image of diseased
endothelia. In a new method of use of a large-field specular microscope,
extensive areas of the posterior surface of the cornea may be viewed in
apparent relief. In this "relief mode," any entities causing events in the
specular image that interrupt the smooth posterior contours of the cornea
can be seen by diffuse (as opposed to specularly reflected) light, and
their true size, shape, and interrelationships are clearly shown. The
relief and specular images occur in the same field of view and thus allow
immediate elucidation of the nature of most events.
