Wavefront analysis in Asian-Brazilians.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the distribution of ocular higher order wavefront aberrations (third to sixth order) in the Brazilian population of Asian and non-Asian refractive surgery patients.


METHODS
Preoperative refractive and wavefront data were reviewed for 648 eyes in 324 patients who underwent custom ablation at the Excimer Laser Santa Cruz refractive surgery center in São Paulo, Brazil, from March 2002 to July 2005. Patients were divided into two groups: Asian patients and non-Asian patients, based on family history. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the differences between the groups with respect to manifest refractive spherical equivalent, astigmatism, pachymetry, OPD-root-square-mean (RMS) for a 6.0-mm pupil, total wavefront aberrations, third- to sixth-order higher order aberrations, and individual aberrations.


RESULTS
The mean spherical equivalent refraction in the Asian group of -4.38 diopters (D) was significantly higher than the spherical equivalent refraction of -3.46 D in the non-Asian group (t= -4.32; P=.00001). Comparison of the differences between groups with respect to higher order aberrations, coma, trefoil, quadrafoil, spherical aberration, higher order astigmatism, and pachymetry was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Asian patients have a higher prevalence of myopia than non-Asian patients. No differences were noted in higher order aberrations between Asian and non-Asian patients.
Nakano
Eliane Mayumi
EM
Clínica Oftalmológica Nakano, São Paolo, Brazil. mayuminakano@uol.com.br
Bains
Harkaran
H
Nakano
Kozo
K
Nakano
Celso
C
Portellinha
Waldir
W
Oliveira
Marivaldo
M
Alvarenga
Lenio
L
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D009216:Myopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012189:Retrospective Studies