title: Evaluation of corneal functional optical zone after laser in situ keratomileusis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the corneal functional optical zone (FOZ) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using a primary 6.0 mm ablation diameter without a transition zone.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, 76 eyes of 53 patients who had LASIK for myopia were evaluated. The size of the preoperative and postoperative FOZ was compared in each eye. Preoperative refraction, attempted correction, and achieved correction were correlated with the preoperative and postoperative FOZ using regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After LASIK, the FOZ decreased a mean 1.2 mm +/- 0.67 (SD) (P < 0.0001). The size of the FOZ was correlated with the preoperative manifest refraction, attempted correction, and achieved correction (P <.0001). The FOZ reduction was significantly correlated with the preoperative manifest refraction, attempted correction, and achieved correction (P <.05). Before LASIK, there was no correlation between the FOZ and the preoperative manifest refraction (P = 0.9427).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spherical aberrations exist within the laser ablation zone and are related to the amount of myopic treatment. This has implications for patients with large pupil diameters under mesopic conditions. Future studies are necessary to understand the implications in patients with high refractive errors.
authors.affiliation: Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA Department of Ophthalmology, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. bbw@jsei.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Brian S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Boxer Wachler
authors.forename: Vu N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Ayman F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: El-Shiaty
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology*; D019781:Corneal Topography; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology