Comparison of clinical outcomes between wavefront-optimized versus corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy for myopic astigmatism.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the clinical outcomes, including visual acuity, refractive errors, and aberrations, between aberration-free transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial PRK in eyes with myopic astigmatism.

SETTING

Yonsei University College of Medicine and Eyereum Eye Clinic, Seoul, South Korea.

DESIGN

Retrospective comparative case series.

METHODS

Patients with myopic astigmatism were treated with aberration-free transepithelial PRK or corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial PRK using a 1050 Hz high-repetition excimer laser. The safety, efficacy, predictability, and corneal aberrations were compared preoperatively and 1, 2, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

The study comprised 188 patients (188 eyes); 91 eyes had aberration-free transepithelial PRK and 97 eyes corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial PRK. Six month after surgery, the mean uncorrected distance visual acuity was comparable (-0.06 logMAR ± 0.07 [SD] aberration-free group; -0.06 ± 0.06 logMAR wavefront-guided group). The safety, efficacy, and predictability of refractive and visual outcomes were also comparable between groups. Corneal total root-mean-square (RMS) higher-order aberrations (HOAs) increased after treatment in both groups, although fewer RMS HOAs were induced in the corneal wavefront-guided group than in the aberration-free group. Spherical aberration increased similarly after treatment in both groups. However, coma and trefoil increased only in the aberration-free group.

CONCLUSIONS

Aberration-free transepithelial PRK and corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial PRK were safe and effective for correction of myopic astigmatism without difference in visual acuity and refractive outcomes. However, the corneal wavefront-guided profile induced fewer corneal aberrations than the aberration-free profile.