title: Contrast sensitivity after wave front-guided LASIK.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah University Hospital, POB 12000, IL-91120 Jerusalem, Israel. Igork@cc.huji.ac.il
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaiserman
authors.forename: Rossen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hazarbassanov
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Varssano
authors.forename: Aharon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grinbaum
mesh_terms: 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