Photorefractive keratectomy in young Asian aviators with low-moderate myopia.
BACKGROUND
The high prevalence of myopia among Asians led the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to introduce photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) as a means of enlarging its pilot recruitment pool at the end of 2005. This study aims to address the efficacy and safety of PRK performed on young Asian patients with low-moderate myopia, as well as audit the RSAF's corneal refractive surgery (CRS) program.


METHODS
This is a retrospective case series of 149 eyes of 76 consecutive patients that underwent PRK as part of the RSAF CRS program over the 5-yr period from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010.


RESULTS
The median patient age was 21 yr (range, 18-26 yr) and the mean preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) refraction was -3.39 - 1.19 D. Of the patients, 96.1% were men and all were of Asian origin. At the 12-mo follow-up, 98.5% of eyes had an uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of < or = 0.00 LogMAR, 100.0% of eyes had an SE refraction of within + 0.50 D of intended correction, and 2.300% of eyes had a loss of corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 0.20 LogMAR. The cumulative incidence of retreatments was 6.7% and cumulative incidence of grade II or worse corneal haze requiring retreatment was 6.0%. Refractive stability was achieved at 3 mo postsurgery.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that PRK performed within the context of a stringent and structured CRS program on young Asian eyes with low-moderate myopia is both efficacious and safe, with refractive stability achieved by 3 mo.
Aeromedical Centre, Republic of Singapore Air Force, Singapore. see_cheong_yan_brian@starnet.gov.sg
Brian
B
See
Vision Performance Centre, Military Medical Institute Specialist Healthcare Services, Singapore.
Marcus
M
Tan
Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Sin Eng
SE
Chia
Headquarters Military Medicine Institute, Singapore Armed Forces medical Group, Singapore.
Wee Hoe
WH
Gan
Headquarters Air Force Medical Service, Republic of Singapore Air Force, Singapore.
Robin
R
Low
Vision Performance Centre, Military Medical Institute Specialist Healthcare Services, Singapore.
Gerard
G
Nah
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D001359:Aviation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity