Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia: 12 month follow-up.
A prospective study of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy was performed with the aim of correcting a range of myopic errors between -1.00 and -10.00 dioptres. Corneal healing was monitored through the first post-operative year by serial assessments of refraction, contrast sensitivity, corneal haze, pachymetry and keratometry. Eighty-one patients were recruited for the study. At 12 months 81% were within +/- 1.00 dioptre of desired emmetropia and with unaided vision of 6/12. Contrast sensitivity was found by Pelli-Robson assessment to be reduced throughout the 12 months and regression analysis predicted recovery by 2 years. At 12 months, however, only 15% of patients were found to have lost a single line of best corrected Snellen acuity. Predictability of results was found to be greatest for initial errors less than -4.00 dioptres. No serious complications were observed during the follow-up period, but refraction had not stabilised in all cases and patients remain under review.
Ficker
L A
LA
Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
Bates
A K
AK
Steele
A D
AD
Lyons
C J
CJ
Milliken
A B
AB
Astin
C
C
Slattery
K
K
Kirkness
C M
CM
D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing