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Comparison of Agreement and Accuracy using Binocular Wavefront Optometer with Autorefractor and Phoropter
Published on: September 16, 2025
Comparison of higher-order aberrations after wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis and laser-assisted
So-Hyang Chung1, In Sik Lee, Young Ghee Lee
1Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei Institute of Vision Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Purpose:
To compare the higher-order aberrations (HOAs) in 70 eyes (38 patients) that had wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with those in 70 eyes (40 patients) that had wavefront-guided laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) for the treatment of myopia.
Setting:
Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Myongdong Bal-geun sesang Eye Clinic, and Seran Eye Center, Seoul, Korea.
Methods:
In a prospective study, 140 consecutive eyes of 78 patients were treated with wavefront-guided LASIK or LASEK according to the patient's choice after each procedure had been thoroughly explained. The patients were followed for 6 months. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), manifest refraction, and wavefront aberrations were measured at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery.
Results:
There were no significant differences in postoperative BCVA, UCVA, and manifest refraction between groups. The mean root-mean-square wavefront error of HOAs for a scotopic pupil in the wavefront-guided LASIK group was significantly smaller than that in the wavefront-guided LASEK group at 1 month. Analyzing individual Zernike coefficients, the spherical aberration and second coma were significantly smaller in the wavefront-guided LASIK group than in the wavefront-guided LASEK group at 1 month. This difference in HOAs between groups disappeared at 3 and 6 months.
Conclusions:
The HOAs in the scotopic condition were not different between the wavefront-guided LASIK and LASEK groups beginning 3 months after surgery. However, the HOAs in the LASIK and LASEK groups had a different time course, especially in the case of spherical aberration. This finding suggests that postoperative changes in aberration contribute to the final outcome of wavefront-guided ablation.
