PURPOSE: To characterize the surgically-induced-astigmatism (SIA) associate
d with spherical LASIK.
METHODS: Refractive outcomes in 70 eyes that underwent primary myopic LASIK
with purely spherical ablation were analyzed. The Summit Apex Plus excimer
laser was used. The Bausch & Lomb Hansatome with the 180-mu m plate was us
ed to produce superiorly hinged flaps. The relationship between refractive
astigmatism and corneal topographic astigmatism was analyzed using linear r
egression and vector analysis.
RESULTS: There was a statistically significant negative correlation (slope
= -0.21) between refractive surgically-induced astigmatism and preoperative
topographic cylinder. A 0.24-D with-the-rule shift was also found. Surgica
lly-induced astigmatism was not correlated with the magnitude of laser abla
tion.
CONCLUSION: The lamellar keratotomy portion of LASIK reduces pre-existing c
orneal astigmatism and produces a relative steepening of the hinge meridian
.