title: The use of the 193-nm excimer laser for myopic photorefractive keratectomy in sighted eyes. A multicenter study.
abstract: Photorefractive keratectomy was performed at three centers using the 193-nm excimer laser on 31 sighted myopic eyes. Preoperative refractive errors (spherical equivalent) ranged from -12.00 to -4.00 diopters (D) (mean, -6.49 +/- 1.75 D). Peribulbar anesthesia, a 5.2- to 6.0-mm beam diameter, and topical corticosteroids were used for up to 6 months after surgery. The epithelium healed within 3 to 4 days, and all patients returned to their best corrected visual acuity within 1 line of their preoperative acuity. There was minimal subepithelial reticular haze, peaking at 3 weeks and diminishing over the next 3 to 4 months, which was not felt to be visually significant. At 6 months, the average residual refractive error was -1.85 +/- 2.5 D. Sixty-eight percent of eyes were corrected within 2 D and 55% within 1 D of attempted correction. There was no significant change in astigmatism, contrast sensitivity, corneal sensation, or endothelial cell counts. This preliminary work shows that photorefractive keratectomy has promise in the reduction of moderate myopia.
authors.affiliation: Excimer Research Group, Phillips Eye Institute, Minneapolis, MN 55404.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sher
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bowers
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Frantz
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eiferman
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ostrov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doughman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing