Aniseikonia

Aniseikonia is a binocular condition in which left and right images differ significantly in size or shape. Aniseikonia can be resolve with with conventional or custom wavefront Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik excimer laser assisted or lens based refractive surgery procedures like RLE and P-IOL.refractive surgery if the imbalance is caused by simple myopia (nearsighted, shortsighted), hyperopia (farsighted, longsighted), or astigmatism that can be corrected.

There are two types of aniseikonia – static and dynamic aniseikonia. The first type is the classical aniseikonia, denoting a perceived image size difference with a fixed gaze direction. Classic aniseikonia can occur naturally or be induced by refractive surgery. Aniseikonia is most pronounced when one eye is hyperopic and one eye is myopic.

Typical symptoms of aniseikonia are headaches, blurry vision, sore burning tearing eyes, photophobia, reading difficulty, distorted depth perception, nausea, binocular diplopia, and even nervousness, vertigo and dizziness.

Aniseikonia can be induced by refractive surgery, typically when refractive error is different in one eye than the other after surgery. Aniseikonia may occur if a myopic patient is overcorrected in one eye into hyperopia, a hyperopic patient is overcorrected in one eye into myopia, or any combination where the refractive error is significantly different after refractive surgery. Aniseikonia may occur if one eye is significantly more astigmatic than the other, or irregular astigmatism causes an imbalance in the two images.

Temporary aniseikonia almost always occurs during the gap between refractive surgeries when a patient has surgery performed on one eye at a time.

If aniseikonia occurs or when refractive surgery is planned one eye at a time, the least invasive response is for the patient to wear a contact lens or lenses to fully correct both eyes to plano. If aniseikonia occurs as an unplanned complication of refractive surgery, refractive surgery induced aniseikonia may be able to be be resolved with enhancement surgery to balance the refractive error in both eyes.

If you are ready to choose a doctor to be evaluated for conventional or custom wavefront Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, NearVision CK, RLE, or any refractive surgery procedure, we highly recommend you consider a doctor who has been evaluated and certified by the USAEyes nonprofit organization. Locate a USAEyes Evaluated & Certified Lasik Laser Eye Surgeon.

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Current Aniseikonia Medical Journal News...

Refractive surgery after corneal transplant.

Related Articles

Refractive surgery after corneal transplant.

Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2010 May 12;

Authors: Kuryan J, Channa P

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Ametropia and astigmatism following successful penetrating keratoplasty can seriously impact a patient's quality of vision. Similar limitations can result following anterior lamellar keratoplasty (ALK) and Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). These patients often suffer from aniseikonia and can be intolerant of spectacles and contact lenses. Refractive surgery can correct both ametropia and astigmatism following corneal transplantation and improve a patient's final visual outcome. The same methods used to correct naturally occurring refractive errors are being used with increasing success in patients who have undergone corneal transplants. RECENT FINDINGS: Many refractive options are available to treat ametropia following penetrating keratoplasty. Incisional keratotomies have been employed to treat high amounts of astigmatism. Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) are also used to treat myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. LASIK has been shown to have an overall better outcome compared to PRK; however, the use of mitomycin-C with PRK has improved results. Phakic and pseudophakic piggyback intraocular lenses are also being used to treat high degrees of ametropia and astigmatism; however, the long-term results are somewhat limited. SUMMARY: Refractive surgery can improve the final visual outcome of patients who have undergone successful corneal transplantation. Currently available modalities provide many options for patients who are intolerant of spectacles and contact lenses. Continued advances and research will enable surgeons to optimize visual quality in postkeratoplasty patients.

PMID: 20467314 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]