One-year results of photorefractive keratectomy and laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia using a 213 nm wavelength solid-state laser.
OBJECTIVE
To study the long-term results of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in low to moderate myopic corrections using the Pulzar Z1 system (CustomVis), a 213 nm wavelength solid-state laser.


METHODS
University refractive surgery center.


METHODS
This prospective noncomparative case series comprised 20 patients (40 eyes) who had refractive surgery using the Pulzar Z1 laser system. Manifest refraction, uncorrected visual acuity, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), safety, predictability, stability, and confocal microscopy images were evaluated.


RESULTS
Ten patients (20 eyes) had PRK and 10 patients (20 eyes) had LASIK. The mean follow-up was 13.9 months +/- 1.1 (SD) (range 12 to 17 months) and 14.6 +/- 1.2 months (range 12 to 18 months) in the PRK group and LASIK group, respectively. No eye lost a line of Snellen BSCVA during the follow-up period; 2 eyes (10%) gained 2 Snellen lines. There was a statistically significant decrease in spherical equivalent manifest refraction postoperatively in both groups (P<.05). Refractive stability was obtained during the first postoperative month and remained stable during the follow-up period, with no significant changes between any interval in both groups (P>.05). At the last follow-up, 95% of all eyes were within +/-1.00 diopter of emmetropia. No late postoperative complications were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Refractive surgery using the Pulzar Z1 213 nm wavelength solid-state laser was a safe, effective procedure in the treatment of low to moderate myopia.
Tsiklis
Nikolaos S
NS
Medical School Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Vision and Optics, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Crete, Greece. ntsiklis@hotmail.com
Kymionis
George D
GD
Kounis
George A
GA
Pallikaris
Aristofanis I
AI
Diakonis
Vasilios F
VF
Charisis
Spyridon
S
Markomanolakis
Marinos M
MM
Pallikaris
Ioannis G
IG
D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009216:Myopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity