Evaluation of Higher-Order Aberrations in Patients with Artiphakia and Asteroid Hyalosis

Relevance. Asteroid hyalosis is a chronic degenerative condition of the vitreous body of unknown etiology, accompanied by the deposition of calcium phospholipid complexes on the collagen framework of the vitreous body. Despite the fact that asteoid hyalosis often occurs without symptoms, after cataract extraction, patients may complain of a significant decrease in subjective visual quality. Among scientific publications, there are no comprehensive data on the study of higher-order aberrations in patients with asteroid hyalosis.

The aim of this study is to evaluate higher-order internal aberrations in patients with artiphakia and asteroid hyalosis.

Materials and methods. On the basis of the ophthalmological department of Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1, after pre-performing standard diagnostic methods, cataract surgery was performed in 12 patients with concomitant diagnosis of asteroid hyalosis.. After 1 month of surgery, all patients underwent aberrometry using the iTrace visual function analyzer. The obtained diagnostic results have been analyzed and statistically processed.

Results. The results of aberrometry and ultrasound examination showed a correlation between the density of asteroidal bodies in the vitreous body and the level of higher-order internal aberrations.

Conclusion. The revealed relationship between the density of asteroid bodies in the vitreous body and the degree of influence on higher-order internal aberrations deepens our understanding of the pathogenesis of asteroid hyalosis this condition and may serve as a basis for revising the indications for phacoemulsification in patients with combined age-related cataracts and asteroid hyalosis, especially in cases of severe aberrations. 

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