Comparison of Corneal Higher-order Aberrations between Miniscleral and Hybrid Lenses in Keratoconus

Fitting specialty contact lenses (hybrid and miniscleral) can be a useful option in keratoconus patients to decrease higher-order aberrations (HOAs) and increase the quality of vision.

The aim of the present study was to compare corneal HOAs between miniscleral and hybrid lenses in keratoconus patients.

The target population of this study was 37 patients with bilateral keratoconus aged 20 to 35 years who were referred to a specialized contact lens clinic by a corneal specialist. Pre-fitting examinations included objective and subjective refraction, measurement of uncorrected and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, and measurement of corneal HOAs. Lens fitting was performed in the next step. Finally, post-fitting measurements including contact lens-corrected visual acuity and corneal HOAs were performed.

The root mean square of the total HOAs significantly decreased after fitting both miniscleral and hybrid lens designs. There was a significant change in the third-order vertical coma and spherical aberration after fitting the miniscleral lens. In the hybrid lens group, a significant change was found only in vertical coma after fitting. There was no significant difference in the post-fitting HOA change between the two groups.

The results of this study showed the effectiveness of both miniscleral and hybrid lenses in decreasing HOAs in keratoconus patients. No significant difference was observed between these two lenses in this regard.