Correcting highly aberrated eyes using large-stroke adaptive optics.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the optical performance of a large-stroke deformable mirror in correcting large aberrations in highly aberrated eyes.


METHODS
A large-stroke deformable mirror (Mirao 52D; Imagine Eyes) and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor were used in an adaptive optics system. Closed-loop correction of the static aberrations of a phase plate designed for an advanced keratoconic eye was performed for a 6-mm pupil. The same adaptive optics system was also used to correct the aberrations in one eye each of two moderate keratoconic and three normal human eyes for a 6-mm pupil.


RESULTS
With closed-loop correction of the phase plate, the total root-mean-square (RMS) over a 6-mm pupil was reduced from 3.54 to 0.04 microm in 30 to 40 iterations, corresponding to 3 to 4 seconds. Adaptive optics closed-loop correction reduced an average total RMS of 1.73+/-0.998 to 0.10+/-0.017 microm (higher order RMS of 0.39+/-0.124 to 0.06+/-0.004 microm) in the three normal eyes and 2.73+/-1.754 to 0.10+/-0.001 microm (higher order RMS of 1.82+/-1.058 to 0.05+/-0.017 microm) in the two keratoconic eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrations in both normal and highly aberrated eyes were successfully corrected using the large-stroke deformable mirror to provide almost perfect optical quality. This mirror can be a powerful tool to assess the limit of visual performance achievable after correcting the aberrations, especially in eyes with abnormal corneal profiles.
Institute of Optics University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA. ramkumar@optics.rochester.edu
Ramkumar
R
Sabesan
Kamran
K
Ahmad
Geunyoung
G
Yoon
D006801:Humans; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000150:complications; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome