AIM: To compare the postoperative efficacy of corneal wavefront-guided femtosecond laser-assisted excimer in situ keratomileusis(FS-LASIK)in the treatment of myopia patients with different degrees of astigmatism and the changes of corneal higher order aberration.

METHODS: A total of 133 patients(265 eyes)with myopia and astigmatism were enrolled in this retrospective study. All of them underwent corneal wavefront-guided FS-LASIK surgery for the first time in Aier Eye Hospital(Kunming)from April to October 2020. The patients were divided into three groups according to the different astigmatism: Low astigmatism group: astigmatism ≤1.0D, 62 cases(124 eyes), medium astigmatism group: a total of 54 cases(107 eyes)with astigmatism was 1.25-2.0D, high astigmatism group: a total of 17 cases(34 eyes)with astigmatism ≥2.25D. Visual acuity and refraction were recorded before surgery and 3mo after the surgery and the cornea of the patients was measured by Pentacam three-dimensional corneal topography. Record total higher order aberrations(root mean square), spherical aberration, horizontal coma, vertical coma, horizontal clover and oblique clover in the 6mm diameter range of the cornea. The postoperative effects of the three groups of patients were observed and the changes of corneal high order aberration before and after surgery were compared.

RESULTS: The validity index of visual acuity in the three groups of patients was all greater than 1.1 and the residual diopter was all within ±0.30D. The residual diopter in the low astigmatism group was the least than that of the other two groups(P<0.05). At 3mo after surgery, the corneal total higher order aberration, spherical aberration and vertical coma of the three groups were all increased compared with those before surgery(P<0.05). The spherical aberration increase in the high astigmatism group was less than that in the other two groups(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Corneal wavefront-guided FS-LASIK surgery is safe and effective in the treatment of myopia with different degrees of astigmatism, and the effect is also accurate for patients with high astigmatism. The degree of of preoperative astigmatism is not responsible for increased corneal higher order aberration after the surgery.