The Effects of Pharmacologic Pupil Dilatation on Ocular, Corneal, and Internal Aberrations

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The present study investigates the effects of pharmacologic pupil dilatation on ocular, corneal and internal aberrations. METHODS: Sixty-two right eyes of 62 healthy participants were included in the present study. Ocular, corneal and internal aberrations were measured with a KR-1W wavefront aberrometer (Topcon Corp., Tokyo, Japan) before mydriasis in mesopic conditions. After pupil dilatation with a mydriatic drug (phenylephrine chloride 0.5% + tropicamide 0.5%) (Mydrin-P, Santen, Osaka, Japan), the measurements were repeated. The wavefront data of 4-mm and 6-mm diameter zones were analyzed. The changes of aberrations before and after mydriasis were evaluated by paired t-test. RESULTS: The values of ocular, corneal and internal spherical aberrations before and after mydriasis on the 4-mm diameter pupil zone were not statistically significantly different. On the 6-mm diameter zone, the ocular and internal spherical aberrations were statistically significantly different (p = 0.025, p = 0.002, respectively, paired t-test). However, the corneal aberrations did not show significant changes. The internal aberrations average before mydriasis was -0.043 (+/-0.21) microm and was shifted in a negative direction to -0.093 (+/-0.17) microm after mydriasis. The ocular aberrations average also changed toward negative after mydriasis. The high-order aberrations and astigmatism did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The ocular and internal spherical aberrations changed toward negative with mydriasis in the participants' eyes suggesting the change of the ocular spherical aberration to be attributed to internal changes.