A wide-angle approximation in the parabolic equation method is presented to calculate wave transformation in the shallow water. The parabolic approximation to the mild-slope equation is obtain-ed by the use of a splitting matrix, which leads to a generalized equation in form. A numerical model based on a finite difference scheme is presented and computational results are provided to test the model against the laboratory measurements of circular and elliptical shoals. The numerical results are in good agreement with most of experimental data. Therefore it can be concluded that the model shows greater capability to reproduce the characteristics of waves in the refractive focus.