Early Impact of Laser Vision Correction (LVC) on the Stability and Quality of the Retinal Image

This retrospective comparative study evaluated the early postoperative impact of myopic laser vision correction (LASIK and PRK) on retinal image quality and stability using a double-pass aberrometer. The study included 141 eyes of 141 patients (89 PRK, 52 LASIK). Optical quality metrics (OSI, MTF, SR) and tear film stability (VBUT) were assessed preoperatively and at 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Key results showed that at one month, all parameters significantly deteriorated in the PRK group, while no significant changes were observed in the LASIK group. By three months, optical quality was largely restored in both groups, with no significant differences between procedures. However, in the PRK group, OSI remained significantly increased by 0.14 ± 0.36 (p < 0.01) and VBUT remained shortened by 0.57 ± 2.3 s (p < 0.01) compared to baseline. No correlations were found between changes in optical quality and age, ablation depth, or postoperative spherical equivalent. The study is limited by its retrospective design, the lack of correlation with subjective patient symptoms, and the focus on early (3-month) outcomes. The findings suggest that while both procedures temporarily affect optical quality, PRK may cause a more pronounced early degradation, but both achieve similar stability by three months. The novel use of VBUT highlights the potential impact of tear film instability on functional vision, which may help explain discrepancies between objective visual acuity and subjective complaints.