[Objective assessment of comprehensive optical quality among adults at different ages].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To objectively assess and compare comprehensive optical quality among adults at different ages. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, there were 432 subjects (432 eyes) aged from 20 to 70 years with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) better than 4.9. If both eyes of a subject had equal BCVA, one eye was selected randomly. Otherwise, the eye with better BCVA was chosen. The patients were divided into 5 groups at an age interval of 10 years. The optical quality analysis system Ⅱ (OQASⅡ) was used to measure the following optical quality parameters the modulation transfer function cutoff frequency (MTFcutoff), the Strehl ratio, three OQAS values (OV100%, OV20%, and OV9%), and the objective scatter index (OSI). Each optical quality parameter was compared among different groups by One-way ANOVA. RESULTS: In the groups of 20-29 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years, 50-59 years, and 60-69 years, the MTFcutoff was (43.91±7.43), (40.93±9.92), (37.16±9.04), (36.69±7.87), and (28.52±8.31) cpd, respectively; the Strehl ratio was 0.26±0.06, 0.24±0.06, 0.20±0.05, 0.20±0.04, and 0.16±0.04, respectively; the OV100% was 1.47±0.24, 1.36±0.33, 1.24±0.30, 1.22±0.26, and 0.96±0.28, respectively; the OV20% was 1.51±0.33, 1.40±0.38, 1.22±0.36, 1.20±0.28, and 0.91±0.32, respectively; the OV9% was 1.14±0.26, 1.41±0.40, 1.20± 0.37, 1.18±0.28, and 0.89±0.28, respectively; the OSI was 0.42±0.24, 0.53±0.32, 0.54±0.34, 0.54±0.26, and 1.06±0.56, respectively. There were significant differences in the mean values of MTFcutoff, Strehl ratio, OV100%, and OV20% among groups (P<0.05), except for the groups of 40-49 years and 50-59 years (P>0.05). The OV9% was significantly different among groups (P<0.05), except for the groups of 20-29 years, 40-49 years, and 50-59 years (P>0.19). The OSI was also significantly different among groups (P<0.05), except for the groups of 30-39 years, 40-49 years, and 50-59 years (P>0.70). CONCLUSION: The comprehensive optical quality in the young healthy population is better than the old, except for a plateau in the middle-aged population.