To report the distribution of ocular higher-order aberrations in candidates for refractive surgery measured by Zywave® II aberrometer.

The present study included 232 eyes of 116 subjects. Ocular aberration data were obtained by measurements per eye using Zywave® II aberrometer. The mean Zywave spherical equivalent (SE) and higher order aberrations (HOAs) calculated in the central 6-mm zone and expressed as root mean square (RMS) values were analyzed. Correlation analysis was performed to assess the association between ocular HOAs and gender, age, SE refractive error, or central corneal thickness (CCT) and investigate the aberration symmetry between right and left eyes.

The average SE was-4.67 ± 1.83 diopters (D). The mean RMS values of total HOA, 3rd, 4th or 5th summated HOAs, coma, trefoil and spherical aberration (SA) were 0.421 ± 0.201 µm, 0.346 ±0.206 µm, 0.202 ± 0.105 µm, 0.087 ± 0.048 µm, 0.241 ± 0.172 µm, 0.225 ± 0.154 µm and 0.136 ± 0.102 µm, respectively. There was no significant differences of the mean total HOA, summated HOAs, coma, trefoil and SA between genders, age and refractive errors, but the 3rd order trefoil was strongly related with myopia (r = -0.900, p = 0.008). There was symmetry of ocular aberrations between both eyes and the ocular aberrations were not correlated with CCT.

Herein, we report the normative distribution of ocular aberrations in the myopic Korean population measured by Zywave® II aberrometer. The 3rd order trefoil and myopia were correlated and mirror symmetry was observed between right and left eyes.