Temporal evolution of ocular aberrations following laser in situ keratomileusis

• Published in: Ophthalmic & physiological optics Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 421 - 428
• Main Authors: Benito, Antonio, Redondo, Manuel, Artal, Pablo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2011; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cornea - physiopathology; Cornea - surgery; Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ - adverse effects; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ - methods; Laser in situ keratomileusis; Male; Medical sciences; Myopia - physiopathology; Myopia - surgery; ocular aberrations; Ophthalmology; spherical aberration; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Vision, Ocular - physiology; Visual Acuity - physiology; Eye; ocular aberrations; Keratomileusis; Treatment; Ocular; Surgery; In situ; Laser in situ keratomileusis; Laser; Evolution; Ophthalmology; Spherical aberration
• ISSN: 0275-5408; 1475-1313; 1475-1313
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-1313.2011.00854.x

Citation information: Benito A, Redondo M & Artal P. Temporal evolution of ocular aberrations following laser in situ keratomileusis. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 421–428. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00854.x Purpose:  To study the temporal evolution of ocular aberrations after standard LASIK to correct myopia. Methods:  The ocular, corneal and internal aberrations for a 6‐mm pupil were measured in 22 young myopic eyes (n = 12 subjects; range −2.0 to−7.6 D) before and during a 9‐month follow‐up after standard myopic LASIK. Ocular aberrations were measured with a Hartmann‐Shack wavefront sensor, while corneal aberrations were estimated from the elevation data obtained by corneal topography. For every patient and condition the eye’s modulation transfer function (MTF) and Strehl ratio (SR) were calculated. Results:  Compared to preoperative results, we found that standard myopic LASIK produced a significant increase of ocular high‐order aberrations at 1 month after surgery. During the next 8 months, we found a small increase of ocular and corneal positive spherical aberration (SA), although with a large inter‐subject variability. However, all eyes treated for myopia higher than −5 D showed a significant increase of positive SA during the first 6 months after surgery. Conclusions:  Standard myopic LASIK decreases ocular optical quality. For most subjects, the increase in aberrations induced by the surgery was stable during the next 9 months after LASIK. However, further changes of the ocular SA after myopic LASIK are possible in patients treated for higher amounts of myopia. The changes in aberrations mainly appeared between the first and the sixth month after surgery, which suggests the need to wait at least 6 months after myopic LASIK before comparing outcomes, especially for patients treated for higher myopias.