title: Delayed regression of effect in myopic epikeratophakia vs myopic keratomileusis for high myopia.
abstract: We compared the effectiveness and stability of our first six consecutive myopic epikeratophakia procedures (mean follow-up 18 months, range 14 to 26) with our first four consecutive cryolathe myopic keratomileusis procedures (mean follow-up 28 months, range 14 to 35). Myopic keratomileusis reduced preoperative myopia (range -8.9 to -12.1 diopters) by 77% to 94% in four patients. Refraction and visual acuity remained stable for over 1 to 3 years. In contrast, only three of the six myopic epikeratophakia procedures had stable results. The remaining three eyes which were within 0.38 D of emmetropia at the time of suture removal showed a loss of effect, resulting in myopia worse than their preoperative values in two eyes and a small correction in one eye. Only one of the six eyes achieved an uncorrected visual acuity better than 20/200. We conclude that myopic keratomileusis may be the procedure of choice for treating individuals with myopia of -8 to -15 D, because the incidence of late regression of effect after myopic epikeratophakia using the techniques in this study is unacceptable.
authors.affiliation: Neumann Eye Institute, DeLand, FL 32720.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McCarty
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D014792:Visual Acuity