title: Analysis of corneal esthesia in patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantitatively analyze corneal esthesia in patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five patients selected for PRK in one eye underwent corneal esthesia using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer preoperatively and 30 and 90 days postoperatively. Patients with a refractive diopter error of 4 or greater received intraoperative 0.02% mitomycin C for 20 s.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four (53.3%) of the 45 eyes received intraoperative 0.02% mitomycin. Decreased sensitivity was observed on postoperative day 30. By postoperative day 90, corneal esthesia had normalized but remained 14.9% lower than preoperative levels. In the mitomycin group, no recovery of corneal esthesia to normal sensitivity levels was observed. The mean esthesiometer level was 39.2 mm on postoperative day 90 (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study demonstrate recovery of corneal esthesia to normal levels at 90 days postoperatively in patients who did not receive mitomycin C. In patients administered mitomycin C, a 23.59% reduction in the corneal touch threshold was observed compared with preoperative levels indicating a failure of recovery to normal levels.
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torres Neto
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas Marcel Amaral
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovana Arlene Fioravanti
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.affiliation: Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rachel Lopes Rodrigues
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adamo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lui-Netto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D016685:Mitomycin