title: Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy for Low to Moderate Myopia in Comparison with Conventional Photorefractive Keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness, safety and stability of the results of transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (tPRK) with conventional photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for low to moderate myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective non-randomized case-control study, patients with low to moderate myopia were assigned to the tPRK group (cases) or the PRK group (controls). In the tPRK group, eyes were treated using the Amaris excimer laser (SCHWIND eye-tech-solutions GmbH and Co. KG, Germany). Outcome measures included postoperative pain using McGill Pain Questionnaire, epithelial healing time, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), manifest refraction, and safety and efficacy indexes which were compared between the study groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred forty eyes of 170 patients were enrolled in this study. Each study group comprised of 170 eyes of 85 patients. There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding the postoperative pain scores in favor of the tPRK group (P= 0.04). The tPRK group had a shorter epithelial healing time than the conventional PRK group postoperatively (P= 0.01). Mean UCVA was significantly better in the case group than in the control group at the postoperative month 2 (P= 0.01). Regarding the safety and efficacy indexes, the tPRK group had better results than the conventional PRK group (P< 0.01 for both comparisons).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transepithelial PRK seems to be superior to conventional PRK for treatment of low to moderate myopia in terms of postoperative pain, epithelial healing time, visual recovery and safety and efficacy indexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Bina Eye Hospital Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naderi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Khosrow
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jadidi
authors.affiliation: Bina Eye Hospital Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Aliasghar
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mosavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Aref
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Daneshi
keywords: Conventional Photorefractive Keratectomy; Myopia; Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy