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Comparison of monochromatic aberrations in young adults with different visual acuity and refractive errors

Monochromatic aberrations were measured using a Zywave II wavefront aberrometer with natural pupils in a dark room.

Authors:
Yazar S, Hewitt AW, Forward H, McKnight CM, Tan A, Mountain JA, Mackey DA

Authors notes:
Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 40(3): 441-449.

Keywords:
aberrometer, astigmatism, corrected distance visual acuity, emmetropia, hypermetropia, monochromatic aberration, myopia, refraction error, retina image, visual acuity, visual disorder

Abstract:
To compare the monochromatic aberrations in a large cohort of 20-year-old Australians with differing levels of visual acuity and explore the relationship between these aberrations and refractive error at the Lions Eye Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Monochromatic aberrations were measured using a Zywave II wavefront aberrometer with natural pupils in a dark room.

The logMAR corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was measured monocularly under normal illumination.

Cycloplegic autorefraction was also performed.

Results The study enrolled 2039 eyes of 1040 participants.

Data from 1007 right eyes were analyzed.

The median CDVA and spherical equivalent were -0.06 logMAR and +0.25 diopters (D), respectively.

The median 6.0 mm higher-order aberration (HOA) was 0.58 μm.

Coma-like aberrations and 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-order HOAs were significantly different between subjects with a CDVA of -0.10 logMAR or better and those with a CDVA worse than -0.10 logMAR.

Fourth-order aberrations Z(4,-4) and Z(4,-2) and 2nd-order aberration Z(2,0) differed significantly between myopic eyes, emmetropic eyes, and hyperopic eyes.

Subjects with higher myopia had slightly higher total HOAs.

The HOAs in this population were marginally higher than previously reported values.

The findings confirm there is a difference in monochromatic aberrations between different vision and refractive groups.

Results in this study will benefit decision-making processes in the clinical setting.