Purpose: To establish normal values of higher-order aberrations (HOAs) in young candidates in an Indian population and compare them with results in white and Asian (Chinese) populations.
Setting: Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Methods: This prospective trial comprised 206 consecutive candidates (412 eyes) for customized laser in situ keratomileusis. Exclusion criteria were previous ocular surgery, corneal ectasia, rigid gas-permeable contact lens use, corneal scar, or cataract. Higher-order aberrations were analyzed on a Zywave workstation (Bausch & Lomb Surgical).
Results: The mean age was 23.63 years +/- 1.99 (SD); the mean refractive error, -2.97 +/- 4.0 diopters (D) sphere and -1.73 +/- 3.6 D cylinder; and the mean 6.0 mm HOA root mean square (RMS), 0.36 +/- 0.26 microm. The most predominant HOAs were 3rd order (coma, trefoil). The summated RMS of the 3rd order was the most predominant (mean 0.23 +/- 0.15 microm), followed by the 4th and 5th orders (P<.0001). The ratio between summated RMS means was 1:0.7:0.3, similar to that in white populations (1:0.7:0.3) and different than in Asian (Chinese) populations (1: ~ 0.8:0.002). Third- and 4th-order aberrations were between 60% and 70% higher in Asian (Chinese) eyes. The difference between data in this study and those in others was less than 10% in 3rd and 4th order.
Conclusion: The normative data for HOA in Indian eyes closely matched that in white populations but was different from that in Asian (Chinese) populations, which may provide help in nomogram modifications.