Correlation of higher order aberrations and components of astigmatism in myopic refractive surgery candidates

To evaluate the correlation between refractive, corneal, and residual astigmatism and higher order aberrations (HOA) in refractive surgery candidates.

Three hundred and seventy-five eyes of 188 patients aged 28.2 ± 6.24 years with a predominance of females (62.7%) were enrolled in this study. Refraction, topography (Orbscan IIz, Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY, USA), and aberrometry (Zywave, Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY, USA) were performed to determine refractive and corneal astigmatism and HOA for all participants. Ocular residual astigmatism was calculated using vector analysis.

The mean spherical equivalent was -3.59 ± 1.95 D and the mean refractive astigmatism was -1.97 ± 1.3 D. The mean HOA was 0.38 ± 0.15 μm in all cases, which increased with spherical equivalent (p < 0.05). There was a positive significant correlation between both corneal and refractive astigmatism and HOA (p < 0.05), but there was no significant correlation between residual astigmatism and HOA (p = 0.122).

The results of the study showed significant correlations between corneal and refractive astigmatisms and HOA.