Impact of near-distance computer work on wavefront aberration in different types of myopia

Abstract

Background Both accommodative abnormality and higher order wavefront aberrations associated with near work are interrelated with blurry retinal image.It is very important to investigate the higher order wavefront aberrations in stable and progressive myopic eyes before and after near work. Objective The present study was to observe the high order aberration change of myopic eyes before and after computer work upon near work stimulation as well as the relationship of high order aberration changes to types of myopia. Methods The case-controlled design was used in this clinical study.Sixty right eyes of 60 subjects were enrolled,including 30 progressive myopias and 30 stable myopias with matched age and gender.Refractive errors of the subjects were completely corrected by the wearing of spectacles.The subjects remained the work for 1 hour in front of a computer monitor with 40 cm distance under the dark environment and nature pupil size,and the height of the eye and monitor center kept the same level.The changes of wavefront aberration in test eyes were measured with Complete Ophthalmic Analysis System before and after 1 hour of continuous computer work.The influences of computer-work and myopia types on wavefront aberration were analyzed in 3,4,5 mm pupil size.Root-mean-square (RMS) of aberrations was calculated as the index of higher order wavefront aberrations. Results There were no significant differences in the higher order wavefront aberrations before and after computer work for the two types of myopic eyes under the 3,4,5 mm pupil.The RMS of higher order wavefront aberrations were similar between progressive myopia and stable myopia under the 3 mm pupil condition.Total higher order RMS,6th-order,5th-order and 3rd-order RMS were significantly higher in progressive myopic group compared with stable myopic group under the 4 mm pupil size ( RMS3:F =5.985,P =0.016 ; RMS5:F =3.975,p=0.049;RMS6:F=8.130,P=0.005:RMST:F=6.493,P=0.012) and 5mm pupil size(RMS3:F=13.132,P=0.000;RMS5:F =4.032,P=0.047 ; RMS6:F =4.393,P=0.038:RMST:F=10.508,P=0.002 ).The spherical aberrations were higher in progressive myopic group under the 3,4,5 mm pupil conditions in comparison with stable myopic group,but these alterations were insignificant between two types of myopias ( P＞0.05 ). Conclusions Higher order wavefront aberrations of progressive myopic eyes is comparable higher than the stable myopic eyes.Computer reading task dose not significantly impact the higher order wavefront aberrations on myopic eyes. Key words: Myopia/progressive, stable; Wavefront aberration; Computer work