title: Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia: 12 month follow-up.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ficker
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Milliken
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Astin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Slattery
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kirkness
mesh_terms: 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