Purpose: Corneal densitometry analysis provides an objective measurement of corneal transparency in patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). To date, no study that focuses on determining the reliability and smallest real difference (SRD), specifically in PRK candidates, has been published. Methods: The study was conducted at Clínica de Oftalmología Sandiego, Medellín, Colombia. This was a prospective and analytical study. Refractive surgery candidates underwent Pentacam measurements twice with five minutes of difference. Repeatability of measurements was evaluated for every area using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Spearman’s rank-order correlation, and the intraclass correlation coefficient, followed by a within-subjects factor (S w ) finishing with a determination of the SRD for all areas. Bland–Altman plots were created and analyzed. Results: A total of 110 eyes were included. The mean total densitometry was 18.67 ± 1.56 grayscale units (GSU) and 18.65 ± 1.49 GSU for the first and second measurements, respectively. Wilcoxon was non-significant ( P > 0.05) while the intraclass correlation coefficient demonstrated an excellent agreement. SRD ranged from 0.21 GSU (posterior × 6–10 mm) to 1.79 GSU (total × 10–12 mm). Anterior depths and 10–12 mm annulus had consistently more variability and greater (worse) SRD. The 10–12 mm annulus showed great dispersion on the Bland–Altman plots. Conclusion: Corneal densitometry has an excellent repeatability in refractive surgery candidates for areas below 10 mm. Any densitometry change ≥1.0 GSU in areas under 10 mm should be considered as well above measurement noise and corresponding to a real change in measured parameters. The 10–12 mm area does not seem to be reliable enough in refractive surgery candidates to warrant surveillance after corneal-based surgery.
Purpose: Ocular residual astigmatism (ORA) is the proportion of manifest astigmatism that is not explained by anterior corneal astigmatism. The role of higher order aberrations (HOAs) in the level of ORA has not been profoundly studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different corneal and whole-eye HOAs on levels of ORA using a multivariate modeling approach.Methods: This is a retrospective analytical study including a sample of healthy refractive surgery candidates. One eye of every patient was randomly selected. A total of 294 eyes from an equal number of patients were included. Corneal and whole-eye HOAs were measured with a Pentacam AXL Wave, and subjective manifest refraction was taken. Astigmatism values were converted into power vectors and ORA was calculated. The Spearman rank-order correlation was initially used to explore correlation between HOA and ORA. All variables with a P value under 0.10 were included into a multiple linear regression model to explore this correlation adjusting for confounding variables. Results:The mean age was 28.81 6 5.40 years. Simple bivariate correlation was significant for root mean square (RMS) total, RMS lower order aberrations, RMS HOAs, defocus, and vertical astigmatism. After being included into a multivariate regression model adjusting for confounding variables, the only variable that was significant was RMS total [F (3, 282) = 78.977; P , 0.001; adjusted R 2 = 0.451]. For every mm increase in corneal RMS total, ORA increases by 0.135 diopters. About 45% of variability in ORA can be explained by corneal RMS total, corneal J 0 , and manifest J 0 . No individual HOA correlated with ORA in the multivariate regression model. Conclusions:ORA increases with general corneal irregularity, especially regular astigmatism. Irregular astigmatism expressed by corneal and whole-eye HOAs does not seem to be a significant contributor of ORA in healthy refractive surgery candidates.
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