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The Effect of the Degree of Astigmatism on Optical Quality in Children

Jing Gao1, Xiao-Xia Wang1, Lin Wang1

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.

Journal of Ophthalmology
|June 29, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Higher astigmatism in children significantly worsens optical quality by increasing aberrations and reducing modulation transfer function (MTF) and point spread function (PSF) values. This study quantifies the impact of astigmatism on visual performance in young patients.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Optometry
  • Vision Science

Background:

  • Astigmatism is a common refractive error affecting visual acuity.
  • Understanding its impact on optical quality is crucial for pediatric eye care.
  • Objective measures of optical quality provide insights beyond standard visual acuity tests.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of varying degrees of astigmatism on objective optical quality in children.
  • To evaluate the relationship between astigmatism severity and higher-order aberrations, modulation transfer function (MTF), and point spread function (PSF).

Main Methods:

  • Fifty-nine children (7-10 years old) with astigmatism were grouped by severity (1.0-4.0 D).
  • An OPD-SCAN-III aberrometer measured optical parameters, including RMS of higher-order aberrations, MTF (AR value), and PSF (SR value) with a 4 mm pupil.
  • Specific aberrations assessed included total coma, spherical, and trefoil.

Main Results:

  • Increasing astigmatism severity significantly elevated root mean square (RMS) values for higher-order aberrations, total coma, and total trefoil.
  • Modulation transfer function (AR value) and point spread function (SR value) significantly decreased as astigmatism increased.
  • No significant difference in RMS of total spherical aberrations was observed between groups.

Conclusions:

  • Astigmatism significantly impacts higher-order aberrations, MTF, and PSF in children.
  • The degree of astigmatism is a key determinant of reduced optical quality in pediatric vision.
Abstract

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