Automatic recording of corneal thickness in vitro.

An addition to the specular microscope is described which allows it to record the thickness of the excised cornea automatically as a function of time. The focus of the instrument is scanned mechanically through the tissue, and the position of the reflecting surfaces is detected by a photo-electric system and marked on a chart recorder. The system is able to follow thickness changes over periods of many hours and with an accuracy greater than obtainable by manual operation. This system has been helpful in the evaluation of a new medium which considerably extends the useful lifetime of the corneal endothelial fluid pump.