Assessment of aberrations and visual quality differences between myopic and astigmatic eyes before and after contact lens application

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the aberration and visual quality differences between myopic and astigmatic eyes before and after contact lens application by using corneal aberrometer and low- contrast sensitivity chart. METHODS Eighty eyes of 40 patients were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups as myopic (40 eyes, n=20) and astigmatic groups (40 eyes, n=20). We used aspheric Balafilcon A (Purevision and Purevision Toric Bausch&Lomb, Rochester, USA) lenses for each group. Corneal aberrations and low-contrast sensitivity values were measured and compared for each patient in both groups. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences between myopic and astigmatic groups when we compared low-contrast sensitivity values for both on- and off-eyes. Mean total higher-order aberration (HOA) values for off-eye, were 0.29±0.10 μm, and 0.33±0.10 μm for on-eye in the myopic group, while they were 0.42±0.14 μm in off-eye and 0.37±0.23 μm in on-eye in the astigmatic group. Off-eye mean coma, irregular astigmatism and total higher-order aberration RMS (root-mean-square) values were significantly higher in the astigmatic group compared to the myopic group (p=0.006, p=0.001, p=0.001) but mean on-eye RMS values were not. CONCLUSION Myopic and astigmatic patients differ in terms of high-order aberrations and these differences cannot be equalized after contact lens application, but visual quality can be improved in both patients by using contact lenses.