title: Allergic conjunctivitis as a risk factor for regression and haze after photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the relation between allergic conjunctivitis and the results of photorefractive keratectomy performed with an excimer laser in myopic eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven myopic eyes in 57 Japanese patients were classified into three groups: a normal group (30 eyes of 30 patients), a treatment group composed of eyes with allergic conjunctivitis that were treated with fluorometholone and cromolyn sodium eyedrops from month 3 until the end of the 12- to 18-month follow-up period (16 eyes of 16 patients), and a no-treatment group composed of eyes with allergic conjunctivitis that received no allergic treatment until the end of the follow-up period (11 eyes of 11 patients). Preoperative and postoperative examinations included evaluation of corrected and uncorrected visual acuity and grading of corneal haze.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the no-treatment group, the mean corneal haze score +/- SD of 0.8 +/- 0.98 was significantly greater than the normal group score of 0.38 +/- 0.49 (P = .02). There was no significant difference in the haze score between the treated and normal groups. A refractive outcome of +/- 1 diopter was obtained in 30 (100%) of the 30 patients in the normal group, 15 (93.8%) of 16 patients in the treatment group, and four (36.4%) of the 11 patients in the no-treatment group. Visual acuity was 20/40 or better after photorefractive keratectomy in 30 patients (100%) in the normal group, 15 patients (93.8%) in the treatment group, and six patients (54.5%) in the no-treatment group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that untreated allergic conjunctivitis is a significant risk factor for haze and myopic regression after photorefractive keratectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. VYB04652@niftyserve.or.jp
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujishima
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bissen-Miyajima
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005469:Fluorometholone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium; D005469:Fluorometholone