Influence of intraocular lens optical design on high-order aberrations

To compare differences in high-order aberrations (HOAs) between 2 intraocular lens (IOL) optical designs.

Department of Ophthalmology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan.

Sixty eyes that had uncomplicated phacoemulsification and IOL implantation were assigned to 1 of 2 groups based on the type of IOL optical design: more posteriorly curved biconvex shape (AcrySof MA30BA, Alcon) (n=30 eyes) or more anteriorly curved biconvex shape (AcrySof MA30AC) (n=30 eyes). All patients had best corrected visual acuity better than 20/25. High-order aberrations were measured using a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer at 4.0 mm and 6.0 mm wavefront aperture diameters.

At 4.0 mm aperture diameters, there were no differences between the 2 groups in HOAs (P>.05, Mann-Whitney U test) in the cornea and the whole eye. At 6.0 mm aperture diameters, MA30AC eyes had a smaller amount of spherical-like aberrations (P=.043) than MA30BA eyes; however, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in coma-like aberrations and total aberrations in the whole eye (P>.05). At 6.0 mm aperture diameters, there were no differences between the 2 groups HOAs in the cornea. (P>.05).

The optical design of the spherical IOL influenced the spherical-like aberrations in the whole eye. This may reduce retinal image quality.