Contralateral eye comparison of the long‐term visual quality and stability between implantable collamer lens and laser refractive surgery for myopia

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term visual quality and stability of implantable collamer lens (ICL) and laser refractive surgery (LRS) for myopia. METHODS: This study comprised 52 eyes of 26 high-myopia anisometropia patients who were suitable for surgical treatment. In each patient, the higher-myopia eye was implanted with ICL and the lower-myopia eye was treated with LRS. The patients were followed for 3 years. During that time period, uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), refraction, wavefront aberration and visual quality were evaluated. RESULTS: The spherical equivalent refractive error changed from -14.11 ± 3.39 D preoperatively to -1.27 ± 1.05 D 3 years after ICL implantation and from -8.75 ± 2.76 D to -1.12 ± 1.30 D after LRS. The changes in refractive error from 1 month to 3 years were -0.52 and -0.77 D for the ICL and LRS groups, respectively. The safety indices (postoperative CDVA/preoperative CDVA) were 1.84 ± 1.00 and 1.32 ± 0.40, and the efficacy indices (postoperative UDVA/preoperative CDVA) were 1.40 ± 1.10 and 1.11 ± 0.44, respectively. The postoperative coma, spherical and total higher-order aberrations in the ICL group were lower than those in the LRS group. CONCLUSION: Both ICL implantation and LRS are safe and effective procedures for myopia with suitable indications, but ICL implantation is more stable. Fewer induced aberrations are gained after ICL implantation.