Wavefront-guided LASIK for myopia with the technolas 217z: Results at 3 years

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of wavefront-guided LASIK in patients with low to high myopia. METHODS: The study included 316 eyes of 158 patients; 172 eyes with low to moderate myopia (≤6.00 diopters [D]) and 144 eyes with high myopia (≥6.25 D). Preoperative wavefront analysis was performed with the Hartmann-Shack aberrometer, and LASIK was done with the Technolas 217z excimer laser. Follow-up was 36 months. Safety, efficacy, predictability, stability, and complications were compared between groups. RESULTS: Mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction (SE) was -6.50±7.72 D (range: -1.50 to -16.00 D) in the entire study group, -4.91±1.38 D in the low to moderate myopia group, and -9.41±2.51 D in the high myopia group. At 36 months, 222 (70%) eyes showed no change in best spectacle-corrected visual acuity and 67 (21%) eyes gained ≥1 line. In the low to moderate myopia group, SE of ±0.50 D was achieved by 85% of eyes and ±1.00 D by 97%, and 65% and 80%, respectively, in the high myopia group. Undercorrection >0.50 D was observed in 25% (36 eyes) of the high myopia group and 5% (8 eyes) of the low to moderate myopia group. All eyes showed significant reduction in spherical aberration (Z4,0) at 12 months postoperatively with no complications except diffuse lamellar keratitis in 2 eyes (1 eye in each group). CONCLUSIONS: Wavefront-guided LASIK is an efficient refractive surgery technique for patients with low to moderate myopia. Higher degrees of myopia may be subject to under- and overcorrection.