Does LASIK surgery influence macular sensitivity?

Session Details

Session Title: LASIK: Flap Morphology and Ablation Profile

Session Date/Time: Monday 09/10/2017 | 08:30-10:20

Paper Time: 09:52

Venue: Room 3.6

First Author: : P.Rodrigues PORTUGAL

Co Author(s): :    R. Silva   D. Cabral   H. Nogueira   C. Ornelas   C. Loureiro   D. Ribeiro     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate possible changes in macular sensitivity measured by microperimetry in patients who had LASIK surgery and to correlate differences with pre, intra and post-operative variables.

Setting:

Instituto de Oftalmologia Dr. Gama Pinto.

Methods:

We included 20 eyes, 17 of which had LASIK surgery from 10 myopic patients (8 female), with a mean age of 35.2 years. They underwent macular sensitivity study by microperimetry (MP-3®) and also corneal topography (Galilei®). The test was performed at least 1 year after LASIK surgery. Macular sensitivity was compared with different variables. Both eyes of the same patient were also compared with each other.

Results:

The mean spherical equivalent (SE) corrected was -4.17D and the mean ablation was 65.3µm. Best corrected visual acuity at the time of the study had a mean of 0.98, with a SE of -0.74D. Macular sensitivity had a mean of 29.24dB and did not show a significant correlation with any of the studied variables. Comparing both eyes from the same patient, the macular sensitivity difference correlated with HOA RMS (higher-order aberration root mean square) value with statistical significance (p=0.036). In cases of unilateral LASIK, RMS was a good predictor of macular sensitivity (r2=.609).

Conclusions:

The results show that corneal aberration seem to be the factor that is closer to predict a possible loss of sensitivity. It is possibly not a causative factor but instead a sign pointing to other causes. Interestingly, 1 patient underwent unilateral LASIK and 2 other had LASIK in one eye and phakic intraocular lens implant in the other, with macular sensitivity more closely correlated with RMS than with other factors. This highlights the importance of patient selection and improvement of the technique in refractive surgery, as the latter is increasingly dependent of a Wavefront guided technology.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE