title: LASEK versus LASIK for the correction of moderate myopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the results of laser subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for the correction of moderate myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective, single-masked, interventional study of 80 consecutive eyes. Forty eyes that had undergone LASEK to correct myopia of -2.0 to -6.0 D were compared with age and refraction matched patients treated with LASIK. All eyes had been operated by the same experienced surgeon using the same laser (Technolas 217). Mitomycin C was not used in any patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty eyes were reviewed (40 treated with LASEK, 40 treated with LASIK). The preoperative mean sphere was -3.8 D (range -2 to -6D) and mean cylinder was -0.7 D (range 0 to -2 D) in both groups. Postoperative uncorrected visual acuity was worse in LASEK eyes 1 and 7 days postoperatively (p = 0.0001), although the difference 7 days postoperatively (<one letter) was not clinically meaningful. No significant differences were noted 3 months postoperatively either in the uncorrected visual acuity, in the best-spectacle corrected visual acuity, or in the residual refractive error. Nine LASEK-treated eyes showed a postoperative refraction of +1 D or more. These cases had a higher preoperative sphere (-4.5 D) compared with the nonovercorrected LASEK-treated eyes (-3.5 D) (p = 0.03). One eye after LASEK and four eyes after LASIK needed retreatment (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LASEK and LASIK seem to be similar in terms of safety and efficacy for the correction of moderate myopia. Nevertheless, a trend toward overcorrection was found in the LASEK group in correlation with a higher preoperative refractive error.
authors.affiliation: Vissum Madrid, and Department of Opthamology, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Teus
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Benito-Llopis
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Pina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity