title: Repeated excimer laser treatment after photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: Scarring or undercorrection occurs in a small percentage of patients after myopic photorefractive keratectomy. Scarring occurred in 1.8% of 298 patients with a baseline myopia of 6.0 diopters or less, increasing to 8.8% in those with corrections of more than 6.0 D. Undercorrection of more than 1 D occurred in 2.7% of the eyes with a baseline myopia of up to -6.0 D. A much greater incidence of undercorrection (30% to 40%) was found after corrections of more than 6.0 D. Thirty eyes in 30 patients were reoperated because of scarring (11 eyes) and/or undercorrection (27 eyes) and were observed for 6 to 18 months (average, 7.8 months). Only one of the eyes has shown mild scar formation after this second laser treatment. Sixty-three percent of these patients had a manifest refraction between -1.0 D and +1.0 D six months after reoperation. Repeated phototablation seems to be a valuable technique for treatment of undercorrection and/or scarring after photorefractive keratectomy.
authors.affiliation: Universittsaugenklinik im Klinikum Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seiler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derse
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000601:surgery; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000601:surgery; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing