Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for high myopia.
One hundred and thirty-three eyes of 103 patients had photorefractive keratectomy with a slit scan mode excimer laser for myopia ranging from -6.00 to -22.00 diopters (D). The epithelium was removed with 20% ethanol, and the ablation was done with a tapered profile surrounding the optical zone. Patients were divided into two groups based on preoperative myopia: Group A, -6.00 D to -12.00 D (88 eyes); Group B, -12.50 D to -22.00 D (45 eyes). In Group A, mean preoperative refraction was -9.59 +/- 1.79 D. Mean postoperative refraction was -0.29 +/- 1.47 D at one month, -0.85 +/- 1.68 D at three months, -1.17 +/- 2.04 D at six months, and -0.56 +/- 0.74 D at one year. Anterior stromal haze was greatest at the end of the first month; it diminished thereafter. This haze did not reduce the best corrected visual acuity in any eye in Group A. Mean preoperative refraction in Group B was -14.69 +/- 5.27 D. Mean postoperative refraction was -1.34 +/- 2.02 D at one month, -0.76 +/- 2.08 D at three months, -3.88 +/- 2.32 D at six months, and -5.50 +/- 5.00 D at one year. Three eyes in Group B lost one or two lines of best corrected visual acuity as a result of severe stromal haze and epithelial scarring. Group A's results were similar to those obtained in eyes with low myopia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
J L
JL
Menezo
R
R
Martinez-Costa
A
A
Navea
V
V
Roig
A
A
Cisneros
D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011379:Prognosis; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D014792:Visual Acuity