title: Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy in Singapore--a new treatment modality for myopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Myopia is a national epidemic in Singapore. Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) for the treatment of myopia using the Argon Fluoride Excimer Laser commenced in January 1992 at the Singapore National Eye Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open, prospective, non randomised clinical trial to assess the efficacy, predictability, stability, and safety of PRK for the correction of myopia between -2.0 to -6.0 dioptres.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and fifty-five eyes of one hundred and thirty-five patients underwent PRK between January and September 1992, of which thirty-one had completed at least six months of follow-up. Twenty-nine of the thirty-one patients (93.5%) achieved an unaided visual acuity of at least 6/12. Twenty-six patients (83.9%) were within 1 dioptre of emmetropia. There was an initial over-correction in all patients which regressed to a plateau at around three or four months. Corneal haze did not pose a significant problem. Three patients had ocular hypertension, and another developed a mild allergic reaction to the antibiotic-steroid ointment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Excimer Laser Photorefractive Keratectomy is a very effective, fairly predictable, stable and safe surgical method for the treatment of myopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001128:Argon; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012846:Singapore; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D001128:Argon