Effect of amniotic membrane after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy on epithelial healing: clinical and refractive outcomes.
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.
Lee
Hyung Keun
HK
Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University Seoul, South Korea.
Kim
Jin Kook
JK
Kim
Sung Soo
SS
Kim
Eung Kweon
EK
Kim
Kwang One
KO
Lee
In Sik
IS
Seong
Gong Je
GJ
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*