Ocular higher-order aberrations in individuals screened for refractive surgery

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Abstract
Ction of age. Setting: Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. Methods: Ocular HOAs were examined across a 6.0 mm pupil in 532 eyes of 306 subjects (mean age 41 years ± 10 [SD] [range 20 to 71 years]; mean WaveScan spherical equivalent −3.39 ± 2.84 diopters [D] [range −11.56 to 7.60 D]) using the WaveScan system (Visx, Inc.). Zernike coefficients and root-mean-square (RMS) values of HOAs, spherical aberration (SA, Z40 and Z60), and coma (Z3−1, Z31, Z5−1, and Z51) were analyzed. Correlation analysis was performed to assess the association between ocular HOAs and age and investigate the aberration symmetry between right and left eyes. Results: For individual terms, the highest mean absolute values were for 4th-order SA (Z40), 3rd-order coma, and trefoil terms. The mean RMS values of HOA, SA, and coma were 0.305 ± 0.095 μm, 0.128 ± 0.074 μm, and 0.170 ± 0.089 μm, respectively. Moderate to high correlations were found between the right and left eyes for HOA, SA, and coma (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.601, 0.776, and 0.511, respectively; all P<.001). Thirteen of the 22 Zernike terms (59%) were significantly correlated across eyes (Bonferroni correction, P′<.05/22). Higher-order aberrations, SA, and coma were weakly correlated with age (r = 0.317, 0.273, and 0.176, respectively; all P<.002). Conclusion: Wavefront aberrations varied widely among subjects and increased slightly with age. A moderate to high degree of mirror symmetry existed between right and left eyes....