AIM:To investigate the effect of different cutting centers on the visual acuity, refractive diopter and visual quality of patients undergoing laser assisted in situ keratomileusis(LASIK).

METHODS: A total of 80 patients(160 eyes)with myopia treated by elective LASIK were divided into two groups. Thirty-six cases(72 eyes)with visual axis corneal reflection point(VACRP)as the cutting center were included into the VACRP group while 44 cases(88 eyes)with pupil center(PC)as the cutting center were included into the PC group. The uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA), the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), refractive diopter, corneal aberration \〖total corneal and anterior corneal surface higher-order aberrations(HOA), spherical aberration(Z₄₀), vertical coma(Z_3-1), horizontal coma(totZ₃₁)and offset of cutting centers were determined before surgery and 1mo after surgery.

RESULTS: There was no difference in the probability of UCVA ≥ 0.1, BCVA and refractive diopter between the two groups at 1mo after surgery(P>0.05). The astigmatism and cutting center deviation of VACRP group were lower than those of PC group(P<0.05). The totHOA, totZ₄₀, totZ_3-1, totZ₃₁, froHOA, froZ_3-1、froZ₃₁ and froZ₄₀ were lower in VACRP group than PC group at 1mo after surgery(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The UCVA of patients treated with both cutting centers for LASIK is good but VACRP has more advantages in reducing the offset of cutting center and improving postoperative visual quality.