title: Effect of amniotic membrane after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy on epithelial healing: clinical and refractive outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of an amniotic membrane (AM) on reepithelialization time, corneal haze, and postoperative visual and refractive outcomes after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) for myopia and myopic astigmatism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, and Balgeunsesang Ophthalmology Clinic, Seoul, Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fifty-two eyes of 84 patients with myopia or myopic astigmatism were prospectively evaluated for 6 months after LASEK. An AM was placed as a strip on the inferior limbus in 94 eyes of 54 patients after LASEK; 58 eyes of 30 patients served as the control group. Postoperative epithelial healing time, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity, remaining refractive error, and corneal haze were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reepithelialization time was shorter in the AM group (2.40 days +/- 0.94 [SD]) than in the control group (3.90 +/- 0.97 days) (P<.001). At 6 months, 86 eyes (91.5%) in the AM group had a UCVA of 20/25 or better and 90 eyes (95.7%) had a UCVA of 20/40 or better; 48 eyes (82.8%) and 53 eyes (91.4%) in the control group had a UCVA of 20/25 or better and 20/40 or better, respectively. The mean spherical equivalent in the AM group was -0.48 +/- 0.54 diopter (D) and in the control group, -0.94 +/- 0.60 D (P<.001). The corneal haze was significantly less in the AM group than in the control group (P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amniotic membrane use after LASEK induced rapid epithelial healing with more favorable visual and refractive outcomes and lower corneal haze scores than conventional LASEK.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung Keun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Kook
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eung Kweon
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang One
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In Sik
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gong Je
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Seong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001684:Biological Dressings; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*