Color vision after laser in situ keratomileusis

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on color vision. Setting: Depatment of Ophthalmology, China Medical College Hospital, Taichu ng, Taiwan, Method: This prospective study comprised consecutive patients having LASIK. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had a best corrected visual a cuity of 20/20 or better and a normal color vision test preoperatively and an uncorrected near visual acuity of 20/40 or better postoperatively. Color vision was tested using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue test (FM 100 test) preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week. and 1 month postoperatively. Results: Twenty-nine eyes of 15 patients having LASIK were enrolled in the study. The mean patient age was 29.2 years +/- 2.9 (SD). The mean preoperat ive spherical equivalent refractive error was -5.5 +/- 1.8 diopters, and th e mean preoperative error score of the FM 100 test was 3.79 +/- 1.55. After surgery, no significant change in the error score was observed at 1 day (4 .30 +/- 1.07, P = .1039, paired t test), 1 week (3.72 = 1.25, P = .8125, pa ired t test), or 1 month (3.97 +/- 1.29, P = .6749, paired t test). Conclusion: Laser in situ keratomileusis did not affect color vision evalua ted by the FM 100 test.