title: Conventional vs wavefront-guided LASIK using the LADARVision4000 excimer laser.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare outcomes after LASIK surgery using the conventional LADARVision4000 laser and the wavefront-guided LADARWave CustomCornea wavefront system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was performed involving 140 myopic eyes receiving conventional or CustomCornea LASIK between May and October 2003. The preoperative manifest spherical equivalent refraction was limited to myopia < or = -7.00 diopters (D). The preoperative manifest cylinder was limited to < or = -2.50 D of astigmatism. Patients were evaluated for 3 months following surgery. Results evaluated were uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, manifest refraction, dilated wavefront measurements, contrast sensitivity, and patient responses to subjective questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the CustomCornea eyes at 3 months, 80% (70/87) had UCVA > or = 20/20 and 95% (83/87) had UCVA > or = 20/25. For the conventional eyes at 3 months, 45% (9/20) had UCVA > or = 20/20 and 80% (16/20) had UCVA > or = 20/25. At the 3-month postoperative visit, 85% (74/87) of the CustomCornea eyes and 55% (11/20) of the conventional eyes were within +/- 0.50 D of their intended correction. At 1 and 3 months, the CustomCornea treated eyes had a statistically significant lower mean increase in higher order aberrations than conventionally treated eyes (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CustomCornea wavefront-guided LASIK surgery appears safe and effective and provides clinical benefits that appear to exceed those of conventional LADARVision surgery.
authors.affiliation: Caster Eye Center, Beverly Hills, CA, USA. acaster@castervision.com
authors.forename: Andrew I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Caster
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hoff
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ruiz
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity