Objective optical quality in eyes with customized selection of aspheric intraocular lens implantation

BACKGROUND: To compare the postoperative optical quality in eyes with customized selection and random selection of aspheric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. METHODS: A prospective, nonrandomized study was implemented in adult cataract patients who underwent unilateral phacoemulsification with aspheric IOL implantation. Patients were allocated into two treatment groups: a customized group and a control group. In the customized group, the aspheric IOL selection was based on the corneal spherical aberration to enable the postoperative target ocular spherical aberration closest to zero; in the control group, the aspheric IOLs were chosen using a random strategy. Primary outcome measurements included the following objective optical quality assessments: higher-order aberrations obtained by a Hartmann-shack aberrometer at 4 mm and 6 mm pupil diameters; objective scatter index (OSI), modulation transfer function (MTF) cut-off, Strehl ratio (SR) and a simulated contrast visual acuity—optical quality analysis system value (OV) obtained by a double-pass system with a 4-mm aperture. Subjective visual acuity was measured as secondary outcome. All the patients were followed up for 3 months. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients in the customized group and 78 patients in the control group were evaluated. There was no significant difference in postoperative visual acuity between the two groups (P > 0.05). Significantly less ocular higher-order aberrations were shown in the customized group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was shown in OSI, MTF cut-off, SR and OV between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although customized selection of aspheric IOL implantation showed less postoperative ocular aberrations, it performed similarly to random selection of aspheric IOL implantation in terms of postoperative visual acuity, simulated contrast visual acuity, intraocular scatter, modulation transfer function and Strehl ratio. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered on 07/06/2019. Registration number: ChiCTR1900024356.