title: The effects of mitomycin C on tear function after photorefractive keratectomy: a contralateral comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of adjuvant mitomycin C (MMC) on tear function tests after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, one eye of myopic patients undergoing PRK was randomly chosen for PRK and the other eye was treated with PRK plus the application of 0.02% MMC for 20 seconds onto the ablated stroma. All patients had corneal esthesiometry, fluorescein break-up time testing, fluorescein and Rose Bengal staining, and Schirmer testing with anesthesia, and they also completed a questionnaire preoperatively and at 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven patients with a mean age of 25 ± 3.27 years were enrolled. There were no statistically significant differences between the PRK and PRK+MMC groups regarding the symptoms and tear function tests preoperatively or at any postoperative follow-up visit. Preoperative and postoperative results in the total sample were also compared; statistically significantly different results were observed in fluorescein break-up time and dry eye symptoms at 1.5 months, which showed improvement thereafter. Corneal sensation was significantly lower at all postoperative follow-up visits compared with preoperative results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intraoperative use of MMC during PRK did not induce tear deficiency, and it seems that MMC can be used safely when necessary.
authors.affiliation: Noor Ophthalmology Research Center, Noor Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farahi
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehravaran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000601:surgery; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D006801:Humans; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D016685:Mitomycin