Reimagining a Portable Corneal Topographer Using Mechanical Phase Shifting Profilometry

Accurate assessment of the eye's corneal surface is essential for clinical evaluation and detection of various ocular pathologies. However, conventional topographic systems are often expensive, complex, and non-portable, which represents a significant challenge to their widespread application. To address these challenges, we propose a low-cost portable corneal topographer based on mechanical phase-shifting profilometry. In comparison with conventional one-shot methods, our approach aims to increase the resolution and reliability of the corneal 3D reconstruction. The system was initially validated through simulations and a virtual setup with Blender, thus establishing a flexible and robust framework for the design. Encouraging experimental results indicate that the high accuracy of this approach enables device resize, thereby leading to increased operational flexibility and ease calibration, making it suitable for diverse environments.