Age-related changes in ocular and corneal aberrations.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the ocular and corneal higher-order aberrations (HA) in eyes of different ages.


METHODS
Observational cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Sixty-six eyes of 66 normal subjects (age range 4-69 years; average 37.4 +/- 15.4 years) were examined. Wavefront aberrations of the whole eye (ocular) and cornea were measured for the central 4 mm using a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer.


RESULTS
Ocular Coma-like aberration (r = 0.270, P =.029), Spherical-like aberration (r = 0.531, P =.001), and total HA(r = 0.431, P =.001) were significantly correlated with age, whereas the corneal aberrations were not significantly correlated. The ocular total HA aberrations increased significantly after age 50 years.


CONCLUSIONS
After 50 years of age, ocular aberrations increased abruptly due to the increase of lenticular HA. Customized ablation should be carefully considered, especially in eyes of presbyopic age.
Fujikado
Takashi
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita-shi Osaka 565-0871, Japan. fujikado@ophthal.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Kuroda
Teruhito
T
Ninomiya
Sayuri
S
Maeda
Naoyuki
N
Tano
Yasuo
Y
Oshika
Tetsuro
T
Hirohara
Yoko
Y
Mihashi
Toshifumi
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*