Purpose:
To evaluate the intrinsic epithelial and stromal changes postoperative in LASIK and PRK.
Methods:
55 consecutive eyes were evaluated with the Artemis II HFU, the Pentacam HD, and the Optovue cornea OCT for topographic cornea thickness with all 3 devices and cornea epithelial topography. In addition, age, UCVA, BSCVA, refraction, cylinder (C), tomography, and endothelial counts were reviewed.
Results:
There were 28 LASIK cases (group A) and 27 PRK cases (group B) that were studied. There were significant changes between the findings of group A versus group B.The LASIK eyes (group A) demonstated significant epithelial thickness regularity and were uniformly closer to normal than group B: 49um vs 58um. Group B demonstrated a significant difference in tomographic cylinder (IHD:index of height decentration) when compared to group A.
Conclusions:
Topographic cornea and epithelial thickness imaging shows significant differences when comparing outcomes of LASIK to PRK.
Keywords: refractive surgery • topography • cornea: epithelium