Corneal aberrations after astigmatic keratotomy combined with laser in situ keratomileusis☆
Accepted 13 November 2003.
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the optical aberrations in the cornea before and after astigmatic keratotomy (AK) combined with laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in a group of patients with high myopic astigmatism.
Setting: Refractive Surgery Unit, NISA Hospital Virgen del Consuelo, Valencia, Spain.
Methods: Twelve patients (24 eyes) with high myopic astigmatism (from 3.50 to 6.00 diopters) participated in the study. Astigmatic keratotomy was performed as the first step to reduce astigmatism; after 2 months, the residual refractive error was corrected with LASIK. Videokeratography measurements were conducted before and after each procedure. Topography maps were used to calculate the wavefront corneal aberrations for a 6.0 mm pupil diameter.
Results: Total, coma-like, and spherical-like aberrations increased significantly from preoperatively to post LASIK (×6.34, ×2.52, and ×10.50, respectively; P<.01). Astigmatic keratotomy significantly increased coma-like (×4.04; P<.01) and spherical-like (×5.66; P<.01) aberrations. After LASIK, the coma-like aberration was significantly reduced (×0.62; P = .008) and the spherical-like aberration was significantly increased (×1.86; P<.01).
Conclusion: Astigmatic keratotomy increased higher-order corneal aberrations, both coma-like and spherical-like, whereas LASIK performed after AK increased the spherical-like aberration and reduced the coma-like aberration.
aResearch, Development and Innovation Department, Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, School of Medicine, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Valencia, Spain
bAlicante, and the Refractive Surgery Unit, NISA Hospital Virgen del Consuelo, Valencia, Spain
Reprint requests to Robert Montés-Micó, OD, MPhil, Research, Development and Innovation Department, Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida Denia 111, 03015 Alicante, Spain.
☆ None of the authors has a proprietary or financial interest in any material or method mentioned.