Wavefront-guided refractive surgery results of training-surgeons.

PURPOSE: To assess clinical outcomes and changes on higher-order aberrations (HOA) after wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism performed by training-surgeons.

METHODS: One hundred and seventy patients had customized LASIK (207 eyes) and PRK (103 eyes) performed by surgeons in-training using the LADARVision 4000 (Alcon, Fort Worth, TX). Preoperative and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperative data of spherical equivalent (SE), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) and uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) were analysed. Wavefront changes were determined using the LADARWave Hartmann-Shack wavefront aberrometer and the pupil size was scaled for 6.5 mm.

RESULTS: The mean SE in the LASIK group was -3.04 ±1.07 D and in the PRK group was -1.60 ± 0.59 D. At 1-year follow-up, (80.6%) (LASIK) and (66.7%) (PRK) were within ± 0.50 D of the intended refraction. The UCVA was 20/20 or better in (58.1%) (LASIK) and (66.7%) (PRK) of the operated eyes. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between achieved versus attempted refractive correction in both groups: LASIK (r=0.975, P<0.0005) and PRK (r=0.943, P<0.005). The higher-order aberrations (HO) RMS and coma did not changed significantly in the PRK group between preoperative and 1-year follow-up. In the LASIK group the HO RMS and coma changed between preoperative and 1-month postoperative but remained statistically unchanged during 1-year follow-up. The spherical aberration showed statistically significant changes in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Wavefront-guided LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy performed by training-surgeons were found to be similarly effective, predictable and stable.