Mathematical model of corneal urface moothing after laer refractive urgery

Purpoe To contruct a quantitative model of corneal urface moothing after laer ablation for refractive correction. Deign Experimental tudy, interventional cae erie, and meta-analyi of literature. Method A theory of epithelial moothing in repone to corneal contour change i derived from differential equation that decribe epithelial migration, growth, and lo. Computer imulation calculate the effect on potoperative epithelial thickne, topography, refraction, and pherical aberration. Model parameter i matched with laer in itu keratomileui (LAIK) outcome in literature and in a retropective tudy of primary pherical myopic (77 eye) and hyperopic (19 eye) correction. urgically induced refractive change wa the main outcome meaure. Reult imulated epithelial remodeling after myopic ablation produce central epithelial thickening, reduction in achieved correction, and induction of oblate pherical aberration. imulation of hyperopic ablation how peripheral epithelial thickening, a larger reduction in correction, and induction of prolate pherical aberration. imulation uing a minu cylinder laer ablation pattern how decreaed atigmatim correction and increaed hyperopic hift. In the LAIK erie, linear regreion of achieved correction v ablation etting in hyperopic and minu cylinder correction how lope of 0.97, 0.71, and 0.74, repectively. Thee clinical reult match model prediction when the moothing contant i et at 0.32, 0.63, and 0.55 mm, repectively. Concluion Epithelial thickne modulation after ablation can be modeled mathematically to explain clinically oberved regreion and induction of aberration. The cornea appear to mooth over ablated feature maller than approximately 0.5 mm. The model provide an approach for deigning ablation pattern that precompenate for the moothing to improve final outcome.