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The iTrace vs. The Pentacam® AXL Wave



Why has the Pentacam, from Oculus®, been trusted in practices all over the world to aid in planning refractive procedures for decades? There is a good reason — Scheimpflug imaging is an extremely reliable way to examine the anatomy of the anterior segment and most doctors think that there’s a place for it in any practice that performs LASIK.

However, the latest model, the Pentacam AXL Wave, is now being inexplicably compared to the iTrace in its stated clinical applications. Here’s a breakdown of where the two devices are vastly different, and how the AXL Wave cannot stand up to the iTrace, (just like the Nidek/Marco OPD Scan III fell short).

HOW WE COMPARE

RAY TRACING

VS

HARTMANN-SHACK

Using proprietary ocular Ray Tracing technology, the iTrace sends 256 consecutive beams of light into the eye, tracking where each beam lands on the retina. By measuring the pattern created by the collective points, the iTrace produces an exact simulation of how light enters and passes through the eye during the process of vision. As a result, only Ray Tracing provides the most objective and accurate refraction possible.

Hartmann-Shack aberrometry sends a single beam into the eye and measures the point spread as light bounces off the retina and exits the eye. This has been proven as a reliable aberrometry method for typical refractive patients, but when higher order aberrations (HOAs) are present — as is the case in many candidates for lens-based procedures — Hartmann-Shack data cannot be trusted to measure them. [1]

RAY TRACING

Using proprietary ocular Ray Tracing technology, the iTrace sends 256 consecutive beams of light into the eye, tracking where each beam lands on the retina. By measuring the pattern created by the collective points, the iTrace produces an exact simulation of how light enters and passes through the eye during the process of vision. As a result, only Ray Tracing provides the most objective and accurate refraction possible.
VS

HARTMANN-SHACK

Hartmann-Shack aberrometry sends a single beam into the eye and measures the point spread as light bounces off the retina and exits the eye. This has been proven as a reliable aberrometry method for typical refractive patients, but when higher order aberrations (HOAs) are present — as is the case in many candidates for lens-based procedures — Hartmann-Shack data cannot be trusted to measure them. [1]

WHY IT MATTERS

Getting the most precise measurement possible of any eye is extremely important when planning a lens-based procedure like cataract surgery. The presence and effect of HOAs can impact a patient’s candidacy for certain lens implants. Consequently, the difference between Hartmann-Shack and Ray Tracing can be a patient who is satisfied with their vision after surgery and one who isn’t.

In the history of our industry, Hartmann-Shack aberrometry has rarely, if ever, been used to assess candidates for cataract surgery — there are better and more precise alternatives that leading physicians prefer.

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In Practical Terms: The iTrace vs. The Pentacam AXL Wave

In addition to the differences in the core technology used in operating each device, the following are areas in your practice where the difference between the iTrace and the Pentacam AXL Wave will be obvious.
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PRE-SURGERY

The iTrace is designed to be as useful as possible in a pre-operative setting, with functions aimed at assisting in patient education and providing an objective simulation of a patient’s real and potential vision, broken out into easy-to-understand component parts.

Prime Dashboard iTrace

The iTrace Prime Dashboard

No other device includes a single display with as much information as the iTrace Prime Dashboard. The iTrace can separately quantify a patient’s quality of vision between the cornea and the lens and produce the combined Quality of Vision Index (QVI). The Prime Dashboard also gives cataract surgeons all the diagnostic information they need in a single display!

The Pentacam AXL Wave lacks an objective way to identify and track visual dysfunction. And, instead of the iTrace’s easy-to-interpret map, users have to rely on retro-illumination to subjectively assess opacities in the eye.

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The Proprietary Tear Film Index

Released in Version 7.0, the iTrace includes a new exam process for an analysis of a patient’s ocular surface stability, the Tear Film Index (TFI). By measuring the continuity of Placido ring images for a period of time after the patient blinks, the iTrace can assess the impact of tear film quality on a patient’s vision and quantify it on a 0-10 scale using a proprietary algorithm.

Users of the Pentacam AXL Wave cannot access this data using their device, making it more difficult to plan surgeries on patients with suspected or confirmed cases of dry eye.

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The Proprietary Tear Film Index at Tracey Technologies

POST-SURGERY

The iTrace is still the only device that can measure accurately through artificial lenses and opacities in the eye. This means that using any other device — including the Pentacam AXL Wave — in post-operative exams is an inferior method of analyzing the results of a lens surgery.
Toric Alignment Check at Tracey Technologies

The iTrace Toric Check

The Pentacam AXL Wave allows doctors to use retro-illumination for post-operative review of toric IOL placement. However, this requires that the patient is dilated and the process will be similar to what can already be done using a slit lamp.

The iTrace comes equipped with the Toric Check, a feature specifically designed for verifying the placement of a toric lens BEFORE any dilation. If the lens is inserted off axis, even by the slightest of margins, the Toric Check display will provide guidance on the exact correction needed — down to the degree — without wasting time on or causing discomfort with dilation. The Toric Check also tells you the cylinder correction you are getting from the lens you just implanted.

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Ready to Learn More
About the iTrace Advantage?

There’s a reason so many of the top doctors in the world choose to use the iTrace over any of the other devices on the market. In fact, they’ll tell you why in their own words — browse our clinical case studies to learn more.

When you purchase an iTrace, you’re getting more than just a tool — you’re also getting support from a team dedicated to your success. At Tracey Technologies, we’ll make sure that you have the resources you need to best serve your patients and grow your practice!

To learn more about using the iTrace in your practice, schedule a demo, call or email us today!