Visual acuity and higher-order aberrations with wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized laser in situ keratomileusis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Refractive Surgery

Background:

• Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a common refractive surgery.
• Wavefront technology aims to improve LASIK outcomes by addressing higher-order aberrations (HOAs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare visual acuity and HOAs after wavefront-guided LASIK versus wavefront-optimized LASIK.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of refraction-matched myopic eyes undergoing LASIK.
• Comparison of preoperative and postoperative visual acuity and HOAs between wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized groups.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in visual acuity (UDVA, CDVA) or HOAs between the two LASIK approaches.
• Both methods achieved excellent refractive outcomes, with 96% of eyes within +/-0.50 D of emmetropia.
• Wavefront-guided treatment was converted to wavefront-optimized in 14 eyes due to measurement or alignment issues.

Conclusions:

• Wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized LASIK yield comparable visual outcomes and HOA profiles.
• Technical difficulties in wavefront measurement can limit the applicability of wavefront-guided LASIK.