Early postoperative pain and visual outcomes following epipolis-laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To compare early postoperative pain and visual outcomes after epipolis-laser in situ keratomileusis (epi-LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in the treatment of myopia.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review was designed and included 49 eyes in 30 patients who underwent epi-LASIK and 54 eyes in 29 patients who underwent PRK. During the early postoperative period (days 1 to 5), pain, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), and time to epithelial healing were recorded. Visual outcomes were followed for up to six months.


RESULTS
Mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction for the epi-LASIK group was -3.99+/-1.39 diopters (D) and that of the PRK group was -3.54+/-1.27 D. The pain scores on the fourth postoperative day were significantly higher in the epi-LASIK group than in the PRK group (p=0.017). Duration of pain in the epi-LASIK group was longer than in the PRK group (p=0.010). Mean healing time was significantly longer in the epi-LASIK group than in the PRK group (p<0.000). In addition, UCVA in the epi-LASIK group at postoperative days 1 and 3 were significantly lower than those in the PRK group (p=0.021 and p<0.000, respectively). Uncorrected visual acuity at one week and one month after epi-LASIK were lower than those after PRK (p=0.023 and p=0.004, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In the epi-LASIK patients, pain relief, corneal healing, and visual recovery seemed to be slower during the early postoperative period compared to those of the PRK patients. With longer duration of follow-up, however, there were no significant differences in visual outcome between the two groups.
Department of Ophthalmology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, #388-1 Pungnap 2-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Jae-Hyung
JH
Kim
Jooeun
J
Lee
Jae Yong
JY
Kim
Hungwon
H
Tchah
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult