Changes in effective optical zone after small-incision lenticule extraction in high myopia.

Purpose: To evaluate the four measurement approaches on the determination of effective optical zone (EOZ) using Scheimpflug tomography after small-incision lenticule extraction surgery in eyes with high myopia.

Setting: Corneal refractive surgery conducted in an eye hospital in southern China.

Design: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Methods: In total, 74 subjects were recruited. EOZ was measured at 3 months postoperatively using vertex-based (EOZ), pupil-based (EOZ), 4 mm-ring-based total corneal refraction method (EOZ) and tangential curvature difference map method (EOZ), and their consistencies were compared. EOZs and planned optical zone (POZ) were compared and analyzed with eccentricity, ablation degree (AD) and total corneal aberrations.

Results: At 3 months after surgery, the mean root mean square of ΔHOA, ΔComa, ΔTrefoil and ΔSA were 0.53 ± 0.27 μm, 0.36 ± 0.20 μm, 0.01 ± 0.84 μm and 0.16 ± 0.14 μm, respectively. EOZ, EOZ, EOZ and EOZ were 5.87 ± 0.44 mm, 5.85 ± 0.45 mm, 4.78 ± 0.40 mm and 5.29 ± 0.27 mm, respectively, which were significantly smaller than POZ 6.48 ± 0.16 mm. Bland-Altman plots showed a good consistency among the four EOZs. The difference between the EOZ and EOZ was 0.02 mm within the range of clinically acceptable difference. In addition, the eccentricity was positively correlated with ΔHOA, ΔComa and ΔSA.

Conclusions: All 4 measurement approaches demonstrated the reduction of EOZs compared to POZ. The EOZ was the closest to POZ, followed by EOZ. The ΔEOZs showed no significant difference with eccentricity, AD and corneal aberrations.