title: A preliminary clinical report of automated lamellar keratoplasty with excimer laser keratectomy for correction of high myopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the therapeutic effects of automated lamellar keratoplasty combined with excimer laser keratectomy (ALK-E) for the correction of high myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  With the automated corneal shaper and Keracor 116 excimer laser, ALK-E was performed on 47 eyes of 40 cases with myopia of -8.00 to -30.00 diopters (mean, -14.55D +/- 5.14D) and the highest astigmatism 7.00D. Postoperatively, all patients have been followed up for at least 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The refractive status and visual acuity tend to be stable about 1 month postoperatively. For myopes below -15.00D, the mean refraction was -1.33D +/- 1.05D at 3 months, and 66.7% achieved their preoperative best corrected visual acuity. For myopes over -15.00D, the mean refraction was -2.42D +/- 1.84D at 3 months and 52.9% achieved their preoperative best corrected visual acuity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early therapeutic results of ALK-E for treatment of high myopia are very promising. However, the operative techniques, parameters and remote therapeutic results remain to be further studied.
authors: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity