Prospective bilateral study of night glare after laser in situ keratomileusis with single zone and transition zone ablation.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of night glare after excimer laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using two different ablation zone diameters.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty eyes of 60 consecutive myopic patients received LASIK with the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser. Eyes were randomized so that every patient had a single ablation zone of 5.5 mm on one eye and an ablation zone of 5.5 mm with a transition zone of 1.0 mm diameter larger on the other eye. Night glare was measured by two methods; a spot light test and a subjective questionnaire.

RESULTS

At 6 months, 54 patients (90%) were examined; results of the spot light test showed that 40 patients (74.1%) perceived more glare with the eye with the single ablation zone; the subjective questionnaire indicated that 22 patients (40.7%) had more night glare with the eye with a single ablation zone compared to the other eye. The use of the transition zone increased the required total ablation depth by 20%.

CONCLUSION

The use of a peripheral transition 1.0 mm diameter larger than the ablation zone significantly decreased night glare after LASIK with slight increase in the required central ablation depth.