Enlargement of the photorefractive keratectomy optical zone

Effect of expanding the treatment zone of the Nidek EC-5000 laser on laser in situ keratomileusis outcomes

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of expanding the treatment zone of the Nidek EC-5000 laser on postoperative visual acuity as well as night glare and halos after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using 4 ablation zone diameters.

SETTING

Division of Ophthalmology, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and Northwestern University Medical School, Glenview, Illinois, USA.

METHODS

This prospective study comprised 301 eyes of 154 consecutive patients who had LASIK in 1 or both eyes using the Nidek EC-5000 laser by 1 surgeon with experience in keratomileusis and excimer laser refractive surgery. A 6.5 mm optical zone was used with a transition zone 1.0 mm larger than the pupil under scotopic conditions (7.5, 8.0, 8.5, or 9.0 mm). Targeted correction was calculated according to a customized clinical nomogram. All patients were queried about glare and halos preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively using a questionnaire assigning numeric values to the degree of perceived visual disturbance (0 = no glare or halos, 1 = minimal, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe).

RESULTS

The baseline uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 20/200 or worse in 293 eyes. The baseline best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 or better. The mean preoperative refractive sphere was -6.33 diopters (D) +/- 2.80 (SD) (range -1.00 to -16.25 D) and the mean preoperative refractive cylinder, 0.86 +/- 0.83 D (range 0 to +3.25 D). Three months postoperatively, 78% of eyes had a UCVA of 20/20 and 99%, of 20/40 or better. Preoperatively, 94 eyes (31%) had glare and halos. At 3 months, glare, halos, or both were present in 19 eyes of 11 patients (6.3%) (P<.0001); in 14 eyes, patients reported less severe glare and halos postoperatively than preoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a peripheral transition zone 1.0 mm larger than the pupil under scotopic conditions resulted in a low incidence of glare and halos postoperatively and did not adversely affect visual acuity. There was no increase in postoperative complications including corneal ectasia.

A long-term study of photorefractive keratectomy; 12-year follow-up

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate long-term refractive stability of excimer laser myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

DESIGN

A long-term (12 years) prospective follow-up study.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty-eight patients (56.6%) of the original cohort of 120 who participated in the first United Kingdom excimer laser clinical trial underwent detailed clinical assessment at 12 years after myopic PRK.

INTERVENTION

Myopic PRK was performed using the Summit Technology UV 200 excimer laser with a 4-mm ablation zone. Patients were allocated to 1 of 6 treatment groups based on their preoperative refraction. Each group received one of the following spherical corrections: -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, or -7 diopters (D). Patients in each group received an identical treatment, and therefore, emmetropia was not the primary aim.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Refractive stability, refractive predictability, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), and corneal haze.

RESULTS

The postoperative refraction remained stable at 12 years, with no significant change in mean spherical equivalent refraction between 1, 6, and 12 years. Seventy-five percent of patients who underwent a -2-D correction and 65% of patients who received a -3-D correction were within 1 D of intended correction at 12 years. Fifty-seven percent of the -4-D group and 50% of the -5-D group were within 1 D, and this was further reduced to 25% and 22% in the -6-D and -7-D groups, respectively. Four percent had residual corneal haze, and 12% had persistent nighttime halos at 12 years. Dry eyes were encountered in 3% of patients, and none of the eyes developed corneal ectasia in the long term.

CONCLUSIONS

In myopic PRK, refractive stability achieved at 1 year was maintained up to 12 years with no evidence of hyperopic shift, diurnal fluctuation, or late regression in the long term. Corneal haze decreased with time, with complete recovery of BSCVA. Night halos remained a significant problem in a subset of patients due to the small ablation zone size.

Miotic effect of brimonidine tartrate 0.15% ophthalmic solution in normal eyes

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of brimonidine tartrate 0.15% ophthalmic solution (Alphagan P) on pupil diameter in eyes of healthy adults under different luminance conditions.

SETTING

Center for Refractive Surgery, Ophthalmology Service, Department of Surgery, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.

METHODS

Using a Colvard pupillometer, the pupil diameter was measured in 15 eyes of 15 healthy adults under 3 luminance conditions (scotopic, mesopic, photopic). The luminance of the room was measured using the Minolta LS-110 Luminance Meter. Pupil diameter was remeasured using the same technique 30 minutes, 4 hours, and 6 hours after administration of 1 drop of brimonidine tartrate 0.15% ophthalmic solution.

RESULTS

Under scotopic conditions (luminance 0.0 candelas [cd]/m(2)), the pupil diameter decreased by 1.0 mm or more in 100%, 87%, and 60% of eyes at 30 minutes, 4 hours, and 6 hours, respectively (P<.005); under mesopic conditions (luminance 0.2 cd/m(2)), in 93%, 73%, and 40% of eyes, respectively (P<.005); and under photopic conditions (luminance 150.2 cd/m(2)), in 73%, 87%, and 67% of eyes, respectively (P<.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Brimonidine tartrate 0.15% ophthalmic solution produced a significant miotic effect under all 3 luminance conditions. The reproducible miotic effect under scotopic and mesopic conditions may help postoperative refractive patients who report night-vision difficulties related to a large pupil.

Reduction of Pupil Size and Halos With Minus Lenses After Laser in situ Keratomileusis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the amount of miosis induced by over-minused lenses and to assess subjective reduction of halos following laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with such lenses.

METHODS

Part I: Infrared pupil diameter was assessed in 14 patients who had not had ocular surgery. The accommodative/miotic reflex was stimulated with concave trial lenses in -1.00-D increments up to -4.00 D while viewing the 20/40 acuity line. Part II. Subjective halos around a distant light were assessed in 14 patients following LASIK for myopia, with and without a -1.00-D lens over manifest refraction.

RESULTS

Part I: 100%, 79%, and 64% of patients clearly saw the 20/40 line with a -1.00-D lens, -2.00-D lens, and -3.00/-4.00-D lens, respectively. Mean pupil diameter decreased by 0.2 mm with the -1.00-D lens (P = .02), 0.5 mm with the -2.00-D lens (P = .003), 0.9 mm with the -3.00-D lens (P = .008,), and 1.1 mm with the -4.00-D lens (P = .008). Part II: 11 of 14 patients (79%) noticed a decrease in the size of the halo (30% average reduction) when over-minused by -1.00 D.

CONCLUSIONS

Pupil diameters and halos decreased with a -1.00-D overcorrection in patients following LASIK. Patients with pupil-dependent night halos after LASIK may benefit from mildly over-minused lenses.

Treatment of Previous Decentered Excimer Laser Ablation With Combined Myopic and Hyperopic Ablations

PURPOSE

Decentration of the ablation zone is an occasional complication of excimer laser refractive surgery. We describe a technique to recenter the ablation zone without changing the refractive status obtained by the first surgery.

METHODS

Sixteen eyes of 14 patients had moderate or marked ablation decentration after previous excimer laser surgery for myopia, but with only minor residual refractive error. Five eyes had spectacle-corrected visual acuity loss and all these patients reported various symptoms such as halos, ghost images, or night driving difficulties. To recenter the ablation zone without changing the refraction, a combination myopic and hyperopic treatment was used. The hyperopic treatment was decentered toward the initial decentered myopic ablation. A myopia ablation of near equal dioptric value was then added, but decentered in the opposite direction. The Bausch & Lomb Technolas Keracor 217 laser was used.

RESULTS

After the first retreatment, the centration of the ablation zone was improved in 15 of the 16 eyes. All eyes with initial spectacle-corrected visual acuity loss recovered lines of visual acuity. Subjective decrease of symptoms was described as follows: nil in one eye, mild in one eye, moderate in four eyes, and marked in ten eyes. A second retreatment was needed in five eyes: in two to improve centration and in three to correct residual ametropia. The only complication (one eye) was induced decentration 180 degrees away from the initial decentration with a 1-line spectacle-corrected visual acuity loss, and additional retreatment was required.

CONCLUSION

A combination of decentered myopic and hyperopic ablation of an equivalent dioptric magnitude, each decentered 180 degrees apart, was a useful method to correct previous excimer laser treatment decentration, with minimal alteration of refractive status that was obtained by the initial surgery.

Risk factors for night vision complaints after LASIK for myopia

PURPOSE

To study the preoperative risk factors for night vision complaints (NVCs) after LASIK in a clinical setting.

DESIGN

Retrospective noncomparative case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Seven hundred ninety-five patients (1488 eyes) who underwent LASIK for myopia up to -9.75 diopters (D) (from January 1 to December 31, 1999).

SETTING

Private clinic.

METHODS

A complete preoperative examination was performed. Patients had bilateral LASIK surgery using the Nidek EC-5000 non-wavefront guided slit-scanning excimer laser and the Moria LSK One microkeratome. Patients were observed postoperatively for 12 months.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The reported NVCs for each eye were rated on a subjective scale based on functional visual comfort. Clinically important NVC odds ratios (ORs) were calculated.

RESULTS

Reports of NVCs decreased considerably from 25.6% at 1 month to 4.7% at 12 months postoperatively, at which time all patients reported similar NVCs in both eyes. Stratification of risk factors at 12 months postoperatively showed a 2.8-times increase in NVCs for initial myopia of >5 D, a 2.5-times increase for an optical zone of </=6.0 mm, and a 2.9-times increase for a postoperative spherical equivalent outside +/-0.5 D of emmetropia. The role of attempted spherical correction, age of the patient, and postoperative spherical equivalent had significant importance in logistic regression of the OR throughout the first postoperative year. In a stepwise logistic regression using 6- and 12-month data, attempted spherical correction and optical zone were the most predictive factors of NVCs (P<0.001). Pupil size at any month postoperatively was not statistically predictive of postoperative NVCs in any differential model involving it.

CONCLUSIONS

Attempted degree of spherical correction, age, optical zone, and postoperative spherical equivalent were major risk factors of NVCs throughout the first postoperative year, whereas pupil size was not. Future wavefront studies that characterize higher order aberrations might be helpful for understanding individual visual aberrations while predicting quality of vision.

Retreatment to Enlarge Small Excimer Laser Optical Zones Using Combined Myopic and Hyperopic Ablations

PURPOSE

We describe a retreatment technique using a combination of large-diameter myopic and hyperopic excimer laser ablations of a near equivalent diopter value to enlarge previous small ablation zones without altering the refractive result obtained by the initial surgery.

METHODS

Eight eyes of six patients were retreated with a Technolas Keracor 217 laser in order to enlarge the optical zone. All patients had a good refractive result after the initial surgery, but reported halos under low light conditions. Retreatment consisted of a combination of myopic and hyperopic ablations of near equivalent value, eg, -1.00 D and +1.00 D treatment. These opposite value ablations should neutralize their respective refractive effect, but by removing a larger diameter of tissue, actually displace the transition zones further toward the corneal periphery. Although the initial treatment used photorefractive keratectomy in four of the eight eyes, LASIK was used for retreatment in all eyes. Improvement was assessed subjectively by the patient and was measured objectively with a Technomed C-Scan ray-tracing program.

RESULTS

In six of eight eyes, patients experienced moderate or marked improvement. This improvement was objectively correlated on postoperative corneal topography.

CONCLUSION

Combined larger diameter myopic and hyperopic retreatment seems to be safe and effective for enlarging previous small treatment zones, reducing symptoms such as halos in selected patients.

Pupil size and quality of vision after LASIK

PURPOSE

To evaluate factors related to the quality of vision after LASIK.

DESIGN

Survey study.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred consecutive patients.

INTERVENTION

LASIK with a 6.0-mm elliptical ablation pattern without transition zone to treat mild to moderate myopia or astigmatism (preoperative manifest spherical equivalent [MSE], -4.79 +/- 1.33 diopters [D]; range, -2.88 to -9.25 D). The second eye was treated 1 month after the first.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Completed questionnaires assessing night vision problems (glare, haze, and halo symptoms) before surgery and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery in 97, 75, 81, and 66 subjects, respectively. Mesopic pupil size and preoperative and postoperative variables were analyzed with questionnaire data using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

Patients with large mesopic pupils had significantly more reports of glare, haze, and halo than did those with smaller pupils in the treated eye at 1 month after surgery (P=0.02, P=0.03, and P=0.02, respectively ANOVA) and of glare at 3 months (P=0.05). Significant predictors of symptoms at 6 months, identified through multivariate regression analysis, included preoperative MSE (for glare and haze), preoperative contrast acuity (glare), postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA; haze), and residual cylinder (haze). Together, these factors accounted for only 19% of the overall variability in glare and 37% of the variability in haze responses. No relationship between pupils and symptoms was noted at 6 months after surgery in either the ANOVA or regression analysis group.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with large pupils had more quality of vision symptoms in the early postoperative period, but no correlation was observed 6 months after surgery. Factors related to long-term symptoms include the level of treatment (preoperative myopia), preoperative contrast acuity, postoperative UCVA, and residual cylinder. Most of the variability in visual quality could not be explained by preoperative or clinical outcome measures, including pupil size.

Quality of vision after laser in situ keratomileusis: influence of dioptric correction and pupil size on visual function

PURPOSE

To determine the influence of pupil size and the amount of ablation on visual performance and on the patient's perception of glare or halo after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

METHODS

This study included a random cross-section of 50 eyes of 32 patients with "uniform" topography at least 6 months after LASIK and 51 eyes of 28 patients who had normal corneas. Each LASIK patient completed a survey rating adverse effects such as symptoms of night glare and halo. Pupil diameter and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) were measured under photopic and scotopic conditions. Contrast sensitivity was measured with an MCT 8000 (Vistech Consultants, Inc.) under daytime and nighttime and with night glare conditions. A Technomed C-scan (Technomed Technology) was performed, and the potential corneal visual acuity (PCVA) was calculated after the settings for the pupil size were changed to the values measured under bright-light or dim-light conditions.

RESULTS

No significant difference was found between the post-LASIK and normal cornea groups in photopic or scotopic BSCVA (P>.05). In cases of moderate myopia, the post-LASIK group had decreased PCVA and contrast sensitivity (P<.05). In cases of high myopia, the post-LASIK group had decreased contrast sensitivity at spatial frequencies of 1.5 cycles per degree (cpd) under daytime conditions and 3 cpd under nighttime conditions (P<.05). Glare or halo symptoms did not correlate with scotopic BSCVA, PCVA, or nighttime contrast sensitivity with or without glare (P>.05). Pupil size was not significantly correlated with glare or halo symptoms, BSCVA, or contrast sensitivity under scotopic or photopic conditions (P>.05). In moderate myopia, the amount of attempted correction of the spherical equivalent (SE) was correlated with halo symptoms (P<.05; adjusted r(2) = 0.17). In high myopia, the amount of attempted astigmatism correction was correlated with the development of glare symptoms (P<.05; adjusted r(2) = 0.16).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a decrease in contrast sensitivity in post-LASIK eyes. The amount of attempted correction of the SE or astigmatism was correlated with the development of glare and halo symptoms. Pupil size was not significantly correlated with glare or halo symptoms, BSCVA, or contrast sensitivity in post-LASIK patients with "uniform" topography who had scotopic pupils not larger than 7.0 mm.

Night vision disturbances after corneal refractive surgery

A certain percentage of patients complain of "glare" at night after undergoing a refractive surgical procedure. When patients speak of glare they are, technically, describing a decrease in quality of vision secondary to glare disability, decreased contrast sensitivity, and image degradations, or more succinctly, "night vision disturbances." The definitions, differences, and methods of measurement of such vision disturbances after refractive surgery are described in our article. In most cases of corneal refractive surgery, there is a significant increase in vision disturbances immediately following the procedure. The majority of patients improve between 6 months to 1 year post-surgery. The relation between pupil size and the optical clear zone are most important in minimizing these disturbances in RK. In PRK and LASIK, pupil size and the ablation diameter size and location are the major factors involved. Treatment options for disabling glare are also discussed. With the exponential increase of patients having refractive surgery, the increase of patients complaining of scotopic or mesopic vision disturbances may become a major public health issue in the near future. Currently, however, there are no gold-standard clinical tests available to measure glare disability, contrast sensitivity, or image degradations. Standardization is essential for objective measurement and follow-up to further our understanding of the effects of these surgeries on the optical system and thus, hopefully, allow for modification of our techniques to decrease or eliminate post-refractive vision disturbances.

Photorefractive Keratectomy in Ophthalmic Residents

PURPOSE

To find out how ophthalmologists themselves experience the correction of myopia after photorefractive keratectomy. Visuomotor functions were of special interest.

METHODS

Four ophthalmology residents and one medical engineer underwent photorefractive keratectomy for myopia. Objective measurements including refraction, corneal topography, perimetry, contrast sensitivity, pattern visual evoked potentials, in vivo confocal microscopy, and a car driving simulator test were performed preoperatively, postoperatively, and at 6 months. Subjective evaluation was reported.

RESULTS

Performing ophthalmological examinations and microsurgery without spectacles was easier postoperatively and was appreciated by the four ophthalmology residents. Minimal haze formation, good accuracy, and normal performance in the car driving simulator were also observed. Visual fields, contrast sensitivity, and pattern visual evoked potentials did not show changes. Negative observations included postoperative pain for 2 to 4 days, dry eye symptoms, a period of anisometropia between operations, and hypersensitivity of the lids.

CONCLUSIONS

The four ophthalmic residents were satisfied with the outcome of their refractive surgery. Low to moderate myopic correction did not affect the objective measurements of high and low contrast sensitivity, pattern visual evoked potentials, or simulated car driving in dark illumination.

Vision impairment and driving

Driving is the primary mode of travel in many countries. It facilitates the performance of routine daily activities and is thus integral with the concept of quality of life. Vision is inarguably a fundamental component of safe driving. Drivers with certain eye conditions reduce their driving exposure and restrict their driving to the safest times, yet there is preliminary evidence that some eye conditions increase the risk of crashes. Visual acuity is only weakly related to crash involvement, whereas peripheral vision appears to play a more critical role. Color vision deficiency by itself is not a threat to safe driving. Based on the current literature, it is unclear whether other types of visual sensory impairment have a significant impact on driving safety and performance. Tests of visual attention and processing speed show great promise as methods of identifying high-risk drivers. There is a serious need for well-designed studies in key practical areas, such as the safety of low-vision drivers who use bioptic telescopes, the impact of monocular vision impairment on safety, and the effectiveness of vision rescreening policies after initial licensure. For ophthalmologists to guide patients about driving fitness, valid and reliable assessment tools must be developed and made widely available.