PURPOSE: To evaluate a new topographic index called topographic irregularity as a quantitative predictor of corrected vision after refractive surgery.

METHODS: We defined topographic irregularity as the summed difference at all points between a topographic refractive corneal power map and its best-fit spherocylinder. We prospectively studied 107 eyes of 107 patients 3 months after a variety of refractive procedures. Topographic irregularity was calculated from topographic maps, and the correlation between topographic irregularity and spectacle-corrected visual acuity was determined using both high-contrast and low-contrast acuity charts. This correlation was compared with correlations for the surface regularity index and the surface asymmetry index. Next, we analyzed 54 of these topographic maps to create a regression scale relating surface regularity index, surface asymmetry index, and topographic irregularity to predict spectacle-corrected visual acuity. This scale was then used to predict spectacle-corrected visual acuity on the remaining 53 postoperative patients.

RESULTS: The correlation of topographic irregularity with spectacle-corrected visual acuity (R² = .36) was comparable to the correlation for the surface regularity index (R² = .36) and stronger than for the surface asymmetry index (R² = .11) when spectacle-corrected visual acuity was measured with high-contrast eye charts. Topographic irregularity correlated more strongly with spectacle-corrected visual acuity (R² = .42) than either the surface regularity index (R² = .28) or the surface asymmetry index (R² = .14) when spectacle-corrected visual acuity was measured with low-contrast eye charts. Using the regression scale, prediction of high-contrast and low-contrast spectacle-corrected visual acuity from topographic irregularity was superior to or comparable to predictions using the surface regularity index and the surface asymmetry index.

CONCLUSIONS: Topographic irregularity has a closer correlation with spectacle-corrected visual acuity than existing topographic indexes. Topographic irregularity is also an accurate predictor of spectacle-corrected visual acuity and may be a more sensitive tool for evaluating postoperative visual performance than current topographic measures.