Comparison of higher order aberrations with spherical and aspheric IOLs compared to normal phakic eyes.

PURPOSE To compare higher order aberrations (HOA) in AcrySof SN60AT and Acrysof IQ SN60WF intraocular lenses (IOLs) and natural crystalline lenses in an age-matched population. METHODS Sixty-nine eyes of 55 patients were examined. Group I included AcrySof spheric lenses, group II AcrySof aspheric lenses, and group III included patients with the natural crystalline lens. The HOA data were obtained with a LADARWave aberrometer (Alcon Inc.). Analysis was based on the RMS of coma, spherical aberrations (SA), and HOA. Statistical comparisons were performed with Kruskal Wallis variance analysis. RESULTS In the case of coma, there were statistically significant differences between spheric and aspheric AcrySof (p<0.005) and between spheric AcrySof and natural crystalline lenses (p<0.005). The differences between aspheric AcrySof and natural crystalline lens group were not significant (p>0.05). SA were significantly different between spheric and aspheric AcrySof group, and spheric AcrySof and natural crystalline lens group (p<0.005), as well as between aspheric AcrySof and natural crystalline lens group (p<0.05). In case of HOAno significant differences were observed between aspheric AcrySof and natural crystalline lens group (p>0.05), but differences between groups AcrySof spheric and aspheric, and spheric AcrySof and natural crystalline lens, showed high significance (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS The AcrySof Natural IQ aspheric model SN60WF IOL did not change the optical quality of vision compared to a healthy population of 60-80 years of age. The AcrySof Natural model SN60AT spherical IOL resulted in higher HOAs relative to both the natural crystalline lens population and eyes after aspheric AcrySof IQ model SN60WF IOL implantation.