title: The effect of mitomycin-C on corneal endothelial cells after photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate short-term changes in central corneal endothelial cell density and morphology after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with mitomycin-C (MMC) 0.02% in patients with moderate myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective interventional case series, patients with moderate myopia (spherical equivalent refractive error from -4.0 to -8.0 D) underwent PRK with a single intraoperative application of MMC 0.02% for 40 seconds. Specular microscopy was performed preoperatively and repeated 6 months after surgery to determine changes in central corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), mean cell area (MCA) and coefficient of variation in cell size (CV).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 42 eyes of 21 participants with mean age of 26.2±6.3 years underwent surgery. Mean preoperative spherical equivalent refractive error was -5.2±1.2 D which was reduced to -0.4±0.5 D postoperatively (P < 0.001). Mean ECD was reduced insignificantly from 2,920±363 cells/mm(2) preoperatively to 2,802±339 cells/mm(2) postoperatively (P = 0.59). Similarly, there was no significant change in MCA or CV at six months (P = 0.76 and 0.52, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Application of MMC 0.02% for 40 seconds during PRK in patients with moderate myopia did not significantly affect central corneal endothelial cell density and morphology after a 6 month follow up period.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Research Center, Labbafinejad Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zare
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jafarinasab
authors.forename: Sepehr
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feizi
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zamani