title: Comparison of real and computer-simulated outcomes of LASIK refractive surgery.
abstract: Computer simulations of alternative LASIK ablation patterns were performed for corneal elevation maps of 13 real myopic corneas (range of myopia, -2.0 to -11.5 D). The computationally simulated ablation patterns were designed with biconic surfaces (standard Munnerlyn pattern, parabolic pattern, and biconic pattern) or with aberrometry measurements (customized pattern). Simulated results were compared with real postoperative outcomes. Standard LASIK refractive surgery for myopia increased corneal asphericity and spherical aberration. Computations with the theoretical Munnerlyn ablation pattern did not increase the corneal asphericity and spherical aberration. The theoretical parabolic pattern induced a slight increase of asphericity and spherical aberration, explaining only 40% of the clinically found increase. The theoretical biconic pattern controlled corneal spherical aberration. Computations showed that the theoretical customized pattern can correct high-order asymmetric aberrations. Simulations of changes in efficiency due to reflection and nonnormal incidence of the laser light showed a further increase in corneal asphericity. Consideration of these effects with a parabolic pattern accounts for 70% of the clinical increase in asphericity.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Optica Daza de Valdés, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Serrano 121, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcos
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery*; D019781:Corneal Topography / Q000379:methods*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000503:physiopathology*; D054140:Refractive Surgical Procedures; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome