Higher Order Aberrations in Patients with Unilateral Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction.

Purpose: To compare corneal higher order aberrations (HOAs) in patients with epiphora caused by unilateral primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) and their fellow eyes.

Methods: One hundred twenty two eyes of 61 patients with unilateral PANDO were included. Affected eyes named as Group 1 and contralateral eyes named as Group 2. Munk scale and fluorescein dye disappearance test (FDDT) were assessed. Corneal topographic and HOAs measurements were taken by Sirius topography.

Results: There were 47 female and 14 male patients. The mean Km were 43.84± 1.4 in Group 1 and 43.96± 1.4 in Group 2 (p=0.73). The mean corneal topographic astigmatism were 0.81± 0.7 in Group 1 and 0.78± 0.5 in Group 2 (p=0.57). The mean coma-like aberration was 0.19± 0.2 in Group 1 and 0.1± 0.1 in Group 2 (p=0.03). The mean spherical-like aberration was 0.16± 0.1 in Group 1 and 0.11± 0.1 in Group 2 (p=0.04). The mean total corneal HOA was 0.3±0.5 in Group 1 and 0.23±0.2 in Group 2 (p=0.04). The mean munk score was 3.47± 1 in Group 1. There was a positive correlation between munk score and coma-like aberration and total corneal HOAs levels (r=0.53; p=0.003 and r=0.44; p=0.01 respectively). The mean FDDT was grade 2.6± 0.1 in Group 1. There was a positive correlation between FDDT grade and coma-like aberration and total corneal HOAs levels (r=0.48; p=0.001 and r=0.33; p=0.001 respectively).

Conclusions: Epiphora in patients with PANDO can affect corneal HOAs. As patients symptoms and tear pooling were increased corneal HOA levels increased.