Higher Order Aberrations Comparison in Fellow Eyes Following IntraLase LASIK With WaveLight Allegretto and CustomCornea LADARVision4000 Systems

Abstract

PURPOSE: To compare the differences in objective and subjective visual outcomes with wavefront-optimized versus wavefront-guided excimer laser ablations using two different excimer laser platforms. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, matched, contralateral eye study, one eye was treated with the Alcon CustomCornea system, and the fellow eye was treated with the WaveLight Allegretto Wavefront-Optimized system. The IntraLase FS30 femtosecond laser was used to create all flaps. Treatments were randomized to the dominant eye, and optical treatment zones were matched to 6.5 mm. Patients were observed for 3 months after surgery. Initial data analysis was available for the first 28 eyes of 14 patients. RESULTS: The only statistically significant differences between the groups were seen in the amount of higher order aberrations-the 14 eyes in the WaveLight group had a mean preoperative root-mean-square (RMS) error of 0.37 microm compared to 0.36 microm for 14 eyes in the Alcon group. Of the 8 patients who had 3-month follow-up, 8 eyes in the WaveLight group had a mean RMS error of 0.58 microm at 3 months, compared to 0.41 microm in the 8 eyes in the Alcon group. CONCLUSIONS: Early results from this study have shown that both laser platforms produce accurate refractive outcomes; however, the Alcon CustomCornea LADARVision4000 system induces statistically significantly fewer higher order aberrations than the WaveLight Allegretto system.