title: Endothelial cells evaluation two years after photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: To evaluate long-term corneal endothelium damages after myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) a morphometric analysis of corneal endothelial cells was performed in 41 patients before and at least 24 months after photorefractive keratectomy. These patients underwent a treatment ranging from -2.5 to -14 dpt with a mean of 8.9 +/- 2.8 dpt at the corneal apex, with an estimated corneal thinning ranging from 23 to 123 microns with a mean of 78 +/- 24.4 microns. Our results showed that the density of endothelial cells ranged from 2,334 to 3,554/mm2 with a mean of 2,819 +/- 351/mm2 before surgery, and from 2,051 to 3,461/mm2 with a mean of 2,774 +/- 330/mm2 after surgery without any significant changes (p = 0.16). The polymorphic index ranged from 58 to 84 with a mean of 77 +/- 5.7 before PRK and from 57 to 89 with mean of 77.7 +/- 7.2 after treatment without any significant changes (p = 0.61). In conclusion, we can state that there is no long-term corneal endothelial damage after PRK even in highly myopic eyes.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Oftalmologia Università Federico II, Napoli, Italia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cennamo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Prete
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sebastiani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D003261:Contact Lenses; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D014792:Visual Acuity