Monte Carlo simulations on corneal and total aberrations before and after LASIK

Abstract

Previous Monte Carlo simulations which manipulate each Zernike coefficient of total aberrations of human eyes indicate that interactions among wave-front aberrations can provide better visual quality for both pre-LASIK eyes and post-LASIK eyes. In this paper, we go a step further for Monte Carlo simulations which are not only on total aberrations but also on corneal aberrations, before and after LASIK, for a set of eyes. The corneal aberrations after LASIK are acquired through a new reliable method. Then a series of Monte Carlo simulations (including sign simulation, value simulation and meridional simulation) are performed by manipulating each Zernike coefficient (second through sixth-order) of total aberrations as well as corneal aberrations. The results are evaluated by modulation transfer function (MTF) ratio. Total aberrations for post-LASIK eyes still show MTF advantage over randomized aberrations, with slightly change as compared to that for pre-LASIK eyes. However, true corneal aberrations before and after LASIK have no MTF advantage over random aberrations. From this research, we draw conclusions: there is apparent advantage for the complete eye's true aberrations over random aberrations, whether pre-LASIK or post-LASIK, which does not exist for any biological optical surfaces in isolation, and the ability of adaptive mechanism of human eyes, increases after LASIK.