AIM:To evaluate optical quality, intraocular scatter, and determine the impact of retinopathy on optical quality in macular edema(ME)patient by using the Optical Quality Analysis System(OQAS^TMⅡ).

METHODS: This was a prospective case-control study. Fifty-eight eyes of 49 macular edema patients who were confirmed by ophthalmic examination in our hospital from August 2019 to January 2020 were selected as the ME group, and 30 eyes of 30 healthy volunteers who were matched with gender and age range for the study were selected for the normal control group. The clinical data of the two groups of patients were recorded. Under the same test conditions, the same operator used OQAS^TMⅡ to check the visual quality of the study object, including the cutoff of the modulation transfer function(MTF cutoff), strehl ratio(SR), OQAS^TMⅡ values(100%, 20%, 9%)and contrast levels(OV100%, OV20%, OV9%). The difference of data between the two groups were analyzed, and the correlation between the visual quality and the thickness and volume of the macular fovea in the ME group were analyzed.

RESULTS: The average best corrected visual acuity in the macular edema group was significantly lower than the control group, and the thickness and volume of macular fovea were significantly higher than the control group(P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the OSI of the macular edema group was significantly higher, and MTF cutoff, SR value, OV(100%, 20%, 9%)significantly decreased(P<0.001). In the macular disease group, the thickness of macular fovea was positively correlated with OSI(r=0.566, P<0.001), while MTF cutoff(r=-0.336, P=0.010), OV100%(r=-0.326, P=0.013), OV20%(r=-0.349, P=0.007)and OV9%(r=-0.321, P=0.014)were negative correlation, but it had no correlation with SR. In the macular edema group, the volume of macular fovea was positively correlated with OSI(r=0.574, P<0.001). It was negatively correlated with MTF cutoff(r=-0.367, P=0.005), SR(r=-0.265, P=0.045), OV100%(r=-0.351, P=0.007), OV20%(r=-0.385, P=0.003)and OV9%(r=-0.375, P=0.004).

CONCLUSION: The optical quality of patients with macular edema is lower than the normal population, and the changes in macular retina morphology and thickness could affect the optical quality and intraocular scattering. The optical quality parameters measured by OQAS^TMⅡ may provide new clinical reference for macular function evaluation.