Comparison of laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy results: long-term follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) over a 4-year follow-up.


METHODS
Miyata Eye Hospital, Miyazaki, Japan.


METHODS
This comparative retrospective study comprised 22 eyes (22 patients) that had PRK and 18 eyes (18 patients) that had LASIK. To be included, the patient had to have completed a 4-year follow-up. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), percentage of eyes within +/-0.5 diopter (D) of the targeted refraction, central corneal thickness, and the anterior and posterior corneal elevations were compared between the PRK and LASIK groups.


RESULTS
The mean UCVA was significantly better in the LASIK group than in the PRK group at 6 months (P = .0043) and 1 year (P = .0044). At 2 years, there was no significant difference in the mean UCVA between the 2 groups. The mean BSCVA was significantly better in the LASIK group than in the PRK group at 6 months (P<.0001), 1 year (P<.0001), and 2 years (P = .0083). At 3 and 4 years, there was no significant difference in the mean BSCVA between the 2 groups. The percentage of eyes within +/-0.5 D of the targeted refraction was not significantly different between groups at any time.


CONCLUSIONS
The superiority of LASIK over PRK in short-term efficacy was not retained 4 years after surgery. The main reasons were a myopic shift and a decline in UCVA at the last follow-up in the LASIK group.
Miyai
Takashi
T
Miyata Eye Hospital, Miyazaki, Japan.
Miyata
Kazunori
K
Nejima
Ryohei
R
Honbo
Masato
M
Minami
Keiichiro
K
Amano
Shiro
S
D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology