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Microkeratome flap may induce more higher-order aberrations than femtosecond laser flap
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Microkeratome LASIK flap creation induced more higher-order aberrations than femtosecond flap creation, according to a study.
“Hinge position did not appear to influence the induction of coma directly, contrary to previously published reports. The difference in aberrations induction between the two groups might be due to the differences in flap thickness profiles,” the study authors said.
The retrospective study included 62 near emmetropic eyes that underwent LASIK.
The study was restricted to eyes with 0 D to 0.5 D of sphere and –0.5 D or less of cylinder to minimize ablation and better isolate the optical effect of flap creation.
Flaps were created with a mechanical microkeratome (Hansatome, Bausch + Lomb) in 23 eyes and a femtosecond laser (VisuMax, Carl Zeiss Meditec) in 39 eyes.
Ablation was performed with the MEL 80 excimer laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec).
There were statistically significant changes in horizontal coma and trefoil in the microkeratome group (P < .001 and P = .017, respectively). Neither horizontal coma nor trefoil changed in the femtosecond laser group.
The average change in coma was not associated with hinge position.
Differences in spherical aberration were significant in both groups (P < .001), “although this is for the most part attributed to the small hyperopic ablation,” the authors said. – by Matt Hasson
Disclosure: Reinstein reports he is a consultant for Carl Zeiss Meditec, has a proprietary interest in the Artemis technology (ArcScan) and is an author of patents related to VHF digital ultrasound administered by the Cornell Research Foundation. The remaining authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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