Wavefront-guided refractive surgery results of training-surgeons

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Refractive Surgery
• Corneal Surgery

Background:

• Laser vision correction aims to improve visual acuity by reshaping the cornea.
• Wavefront-guided treatments offer customized correction based on individual eye aberrations.
• Training surgeons require evaluation of their clinical outcomes in refractive procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate clinical outcomes and higher-order aberrations (HOA) after wavefront-guided LASIK and PRK.
• To assess the efficacy and predictability of these procedures performed by surgeons in training.
• To compare the changes in HOA following LASIK and PRK for myopia correction.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 170 patients undergoing customized LASIK (207 eyes) or PRK (103 eyes).
• Procedures were performed by surgeons in training using the LADARVision 4000 system.
• Preoperative and 12-month postoperative data on visual acuity and refractive error were analyzed, along with wavefront aberrations.

Main Results:

• Both LASIK and PRK groups showed high predictability, with 80.6% (LASIK) and 66.7% (PRK) within ±0.50 D of target refraction at 1 year.
• Uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better was achieved in 58.1% (LASIK) and 66.7% (PRK) of eyes.
• HOA RMS and coma remained stable in the PRK group, while LASIK showed transient changes in the first month, with both groups exhibiting significant changes in spherical aberration.

Conclusions:

• Wavefront-guided LASIK and PRK are effective, predictable, and stable refractive procedures when performed by training surgeons.
• The study suggests comparable outcomes between LASIK and PRK in this context.
• Both techniques provide reliable correction for myopia and myopic astigmatism with acceptable HOA profiles.