title: Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy versus epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia: a meta-analysis of clinical outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To identify possible differences between laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy and epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients from previously reported comparative studies treated by laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy versus epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature retrieval was conducted in the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library, up to January 2013. The included studies were subject to a meta-analysis using a RevMan 5.1 version software.
  
  
  METHODS
  The differences in efficacy, predictability, safety, epithelial healing time, pain perception and corneal haze formation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of six studies involving 517 eyes were included. There were no statistically significant differences in the final proportion of eyes with uncorrected visual acuity of 6/6 or better (P = 0.43), mean postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (P = 0.53), final proportion of eyes with refraction within ± 0.50 D (P = 0.62) and ± 1.00 D (P = 0.16) of target, final proportion of eyes losing two or more lines of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (P = 1.00), healing time of corneal epithelium (P = 0.58), final proportion of eyes with corneal haze grade 0.5 or higher (P = 0.26), and corneal haze levels (P = 0.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were no significant differences in efficacy, predictability, safety, epithelial healing time and corneal haze formation between laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy and epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis, but the result was limited. Future more data are required to detect the potential differences between the two procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, No.180 Hospital of Chinese PLA, Quanzhou, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Daizong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Jinhai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xuexi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Qiaoya
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Qinmei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000503:physiopathology; D058447:Eye Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: Epi-LASIK; LASEK; meta-analysis; myopia