Everett Kinsey Lecture. Hyperacuity, a technique for assessment of results of refractive surgery

In recent years there have been rapid advancements in corneal refractive surgery. The results of keratorefractive procedures are generally not predictable and wound healing effects interfere with the stability. The problems with predictability and stability make the usual visual performance indices such as visual acuity and contrast sensitivity testing insufficiently refined for functional assessment of visual performance after keratorefractive surgery. We argue that there is a need for precise visual functional analysis that parallels and complements the advanced technologies employed in ophthalmic surgery. Results from hyperacuity test paradigms are put forth as one set of precise, reliable bench marks for characterizing the results of refractive surgery. Hyperacuity testing is well suited for analysis of visual performance after keratorefractive surgery because the procedure is resistant to optical image degradation and requires a higher-order analysis by the visual system. The uses of hyperacuity techniques are discussed.