Contrast sensitivity after wave front-guided LASIK.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects on contrast sensitivity of wave front-guided (WFG) versus standard LASIK.


METHODS
Prospective, nonrandomized, comparative clinical study.


METHODS
Twenty-four eyes of 13 consecutive patients (mean age, 25.2+/-8.4 years; spherical equivalent, -0.5 to -4.25 diopters [D]) treated with WFG LASIK (WaveLight-Allegretto scanning-spot laser and wave front analyzer) and 22 eyes of 12 consecutive patients (mean age, 28.4+/-9.1 years; spherical equivalent, -0.75 to -4.5 D) treated with standard LASIK (WaveLight-Allegretto scanning-spot laser).


METHODS
Best-corrected contrast sensitivity was measured before and 1 month after surgery in both the WFG LASIK group and the standard LASIK group. A sine-wave contrast sensitivity test (functional acuity contrast test) was used to measure contrast sensitivity at 5 spatial frequencies (1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles/degree). We compared the LASIK-induced changes in contrast sensitivity in each groups at each spatial frequency.


METHODS
The effect on contrast sensitivity of WFG LASIK versus standard LASIK.


RESULTS
Uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better was achieved by 72% of eyes treated with WFG LASIK and by 70% of the eyes treated with standard LASIK. One month after LASIK, 88% of the contrast sensitivity measurements improved in the WFG LASIK group, whereas in the standard LASIK group, only 40% of the contrast sensitivity measurements improved. The contrast sensitivity improvement was significantly larger in the WFG LASIK group at all spatial frequencies (P<0.05). The WFG LASIK patients had a negative correlation between the changes in contrast sensitivity and the preoperative refractive error.


CONCLUSIONS
The ability of WFG LASIK to correct optical aberrations results in significantly improved contrast sensitivity compared with standard LASIK 1 month after surgery.
Kaiserman
Igor
I
Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah University Hospital, POB 12000, IL-91120 Jerusalem, Israel. Igork@cc.huji.ac.il
Hazarbassanov
Rossen
R
Varssano
David
D
Grinbaum
Aharon
A
D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies