Early results of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using a new ablation program, Optimized Aspherical Transition Zone (OATZ)

Purpose: To evaluate the early results of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using a new ablation program, Optimized Aspherical Transition Zone (OATZ). Methods: The results at 3 months after surgery in 16 eyes of 8 patients who underwent LASIK using the OATZ program (OATZ group) for myopia or myopic astigmatism were compared with those in 40 eyes of 22 patients who underwent LASIK using the conventional program (Conventional group). Results: There was no significant difference in postoperative uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, or refraction (spherical equivalent) between the 2 groups. Contrast sensitivity and contrast visual acuity were also comparable between the groups. The safety index and the efficacy index were 0.94 and 0.71 in the OATZ group and 1.00 and 0.85 in the Conventional group, respectively. The proportion of eyes with postoperative coma-like, spherical, and higher-order aberrations in the OATZ group was significantly smaller than the proportion in the Conventional group. Conclusions: In this study, the early results of LASIK using the OATZ program were good. Further investigations into the usefulness of the OATZ program should be conducted using various settings for optical zone, transitional zone, and profile number.