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Central and peripheral retinal image quality in high myopia: effects of corneal and intraocular refractive correction
Ying Lin1,2, Xin Wei3, Huanjun Su2
1Department of Optometry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Purpose:
This study aims to evaluate and compare central and peripheral retinal image quality after corneal and intraocular refractive correction in high myopia. Additionally, it examines how different refractive correction strategies influence optical image quality across the visual field.
Methods:
In a large cohort of myopic eyes undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK), small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), or phakic implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation, on-axis and ± 30° off-axis wavefront aberrations were measured preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively. Wavefront aberrations were analyzed using Zernike decomposition based on a standardized pupil. Central retinal image quality was quantified using the visual Strehl ratio based on the optical transfer function (VSOTF), whereas peripheral retinal image quality was assessed using the modulation transfer function area (MTFa). Differences were further compared among procedures and across varying levels of preoperative refractive error.
Results:
All three refractive procedures effectively corrected low-order aberrations on-axis, resulting in significant improvements in central retinal optical quality. Median VSOTF increased markedly following FS-LASIK, SMILE, and ICL implantation. Peripheral image quality, assessed by MTFa, showed procedure-dependent differences. All procedures improved peripheral MTFa, but the magnitude of change differed among techniques. FS-LASIK showed the largest central-peripheral separation, SMILE showed an intermediate pattern, and ICL implantation showed the smallest separation, corresponding to a relatively smaller reduction in peripheral MTFa relative to on-axis values.
Conclusions:
FS-LASIK, SMILE, and phakic ICL implantation effectively restore high central retinal image quality in high myopia, although the impact on peripheral retinal optical quality varies. Corneal refractive procedures exhibit greater central-peripheral discrepancy, whereas intraocular correction strategies better preserve peripheral retinal image quality. Assessing peripheral retinal optical performance provides valuable insights into evaluating refractive correction methods beyond central visual outcomes.
