PURPOSE
To determine whether topography-guided custom ablation produces acceptable outcomes in the treatment of irregular corneal astigmatism caused by previous corneal surgery or corneal disease.
METHODS
Thirteen eyes of nine patients who had irregular corneal astigmatism from previous corneal surgery or corneal disease were treated with customized aspheric treatment zone (CATz) ablations using the NIDEK Advanced Vision Excimer Laser System (NAVEX). Changes in corneal surface regularity index, surface asymmetry index, asymmetry component, corneal and ocular higher order aberrations, uncorrected visual acuity, and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) were analyzed using Wilcoxon and paired t tests. A P value <.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
After CATz treatment, 62% of eyes (8 of 13) showed an increase in BSCVA. Improvements in both the surface asymmetry index and asymmetry components were statistically significant after CATz treatment (P<.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Topography-guided custom ablation can be safe and effective in the management of irregular corneal astigmatism due to previous corneal surgery or corneal disease. [J Refract Surg. 2008;24:24-32.]
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
From the Nagoya Eye Clinic (Y. Yoshida, Nakamura), and the Department of Ophthalmology, Chukyo Hospital (Hara, N. Yoshida, Kojima, Ichikawa), Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
The authors have no proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.
Correspondence: Yoko Yoshida, MD, Nagoya Eye Clinic, 3F Meitetsu-Kanayama-Daiichi-Bldg, 25-1 Namiyose-cho, Atuta-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 456-0003, Japan. Tel: 052 872 0490; Fax: 052 872 0491; E-mail: lasik@aqua.ocn.ne.jp
Received: October 16, 2006
Accepted: September 5, 2007
Posted online: September 28, 2007