Journal of refractive and corneal surgery最新文献

Background: Astigmatism following photorefractive keratectomy for myopia has been reported as stable as early as 2 to 3 months. The authors report 36 out of 60 consecutive eyes with variations in the cylindrical component of their refraction at 6 months after laser treatment.

Method: A standard photorefractive keratectomy was carried out on 60 consecutive eyes in 52 patients over a 7-month period. The manifest refraction of these eyes was followed for 6 months.

Results: Thirty-six eyes demonstrated a change in the cylindrical element of their refraction manifested as a change in cylinder power or axis, or both. The mean pretreatment cylinder power in the group that underwent a change in the cylindrical element was significantly higher than the mean of the group where this did not take place. The mean cylinder power change was 0.75 diopters (D) and in 9 eyes this change was 1.00 D or more. The corrected and uncorrected postoperative visual acuities were the same in the two groups.

Conclusions: This observation implies meridional variability in the healing process of the anterior cornea following photorefractive keratectomy.

Background: Individual clinical and optical variables may influence the effect of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. A theoretical model to describe the influence of initial corneal power, astigmatism, and topography on the expected results of photorefractive keratectomy would be useful in identifying those variables that may ultimately improve the predictability of the procedure.

Methods: Using a mathematical analysis based on the change in sagittal depth of the central ablation zone following photoablation, we predict the effect of initial corneal curvature on the ultimate outcome of a standardized photorefractive keratectomy. Refractive results from the Phase III US Food & Drug Administration clinical trials of photorefractive keratectomy were analyzed to confirm these mathematical predictions.

Results: We find that the initial corneal power, theoretically, is not expected to significantly affect the refractive change that results from a given ablation. Similarly, the corneal astigmatism present before photorefractive keratectomy is expected to be only minimally altered by a spherical excimer laser treatment. Clinically, there is no detectable difference in predictability of the procedure amongst groups stratified by initial mean keratometric power.

Conclusions: Our analysis provides a methodology to predict the optical effects of photorefractive keratectomy upon the cornea and may be applied to a variety of hypothetical clinical settings. The predicted lack of clinical association between initial corneal curvature and predictability of photorefractive keratectomy is confirmed.

Background: Intraocular lens (IOL) decentration and tilt may affect postoperative refractive errors through spherical aberration of the IOL.

Methods: Through a use of a ray-tracing program and by minimizing algorithm, we calculated theoretical refractive errors for various degrees of IOL decentration and tilt. We compared our results with those obtained by paraxial vergence calculations.

Results: IOL decentration and/or tilt shifted postoperative refractive errors toward myopia and astigmatism of oblique origin. For example, a 3-millimeter decentration of an IOL resulted in induction of approximately -2.00 diopters (D) sphere and +0.70 D cylinder. IOL tilt affected refractive errors to a lesser degree. The change in refractive error caused by a combination of IOL decentration and tilt depended on the relationship between the geometrical axes of decentration and tilt. In the case of the least favorable combination of 12 degrees of tilt and 3 mm of decentration, it can reach -7.00 D sphere and +4.00 D cylinder.

Conclusions: IOL decentration and/or tilt increase myopia and astigmatism. They are negligible for small decentrations, but could be sources of substantial postoperative refractive errors if the decentration or tile is large.