Analysis of actual corneal flap thickness and confounding factors between first and second operated eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To calculate the actual corneal flap thickness during laser in-situ keratomileusis.


METHODS
Fifty-four women and 26 men with refractive error were enrolled in the study. Flaps were created using a MK-2000 microkeratome (Nidek, Gamagori, Japan) with a 130-microm head. The comparisons between both operated eyes of a patient and the correlations between flap thickness and confounding factors were analyzed.


RESULTS
The average flap thicknesses were 134.0 + or - 16.5 and 112.3 + or - 14.4 microm in the first and second operated eye groups, respectively, and the data showed a significant difference between the two groups (P < .001). There were positive correlations between central corneal thickness and flap thickness (first group, P = .017; second group, P = .041).


CONCLUSIONS
The flap thicknesses of the first operated eye group were thicker than those of the second operated eye group and there was a positive correlation between the flap thickness and central corneal thickness. The coefficient of variation of the flap thickness was greater in the second group than in the first group.
Hsu
Sheng-Yao
SY
Department of Ophthalmology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital and Institute of Medical Sciences, and the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Institute of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, No 707, Section 3, Chung Yang Road, Hualien, Taiwan.
Chen
Hsin-Yi
HY
Chung
Chin-Pin
CP
D000328:Adult; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001835:Body Weight; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D019781:Corneal Topography; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity