title: Effect of base curve radius of therapeutic lenses on epithelial healing after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of the base curve radius (BCR) of therapeutic soft contact lens (T-lens) on epithelial healing after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two eyes in 47 patients with myopia were prospectively evaluated after LASEK. All the patients wore T-lenses with the BCR (R1) randomly chosen after LASEK. The T-lenses were removed after complete healing of the epithelial wounds. We calculated an estimated BCR (R2) from postoperative topography using a diopter conversion table. The patients were divided into two groups according to the differences between the BCR (R1) and the estimated BCR (R2). The flat fitting group was R1 > R2 (Group A), and the steep fitting group was R1<R2 (Group B). Patient's age, epithelial healing time, ablation amount, and BCR were compared between these two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A (R1>R2) had 53 eyes, and Group B (R1<R2) had 39 eyes. Group A showed a shorter epithelial healing time than Group B (5.8+/-1.7 days vs. 6.7+/-2.1 days, p=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The flat fitting group showed a shorter epithelial healing time than the steep fitting group after LASEK.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Je Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Won Ryang
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Jin Hak
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mee Kum
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000592:standards*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013499:Surface Properties; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing