LASEK for High Myopia Correction

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To compare the clinical outcome of patients with myopia correction and an amount of correction of –6.0 D MRSE or more. PRK is said to show higher incidence of corneal haze and reduced predictability of the refractive effect. Another postulated advantage of LASEK compared to PRK is the faster visual rehabilitation and the reduced postoperative pain. Methods: 45 eyes with a mean MRSE of –7.60 D (range –6.0 D to –15.40 D) were treated with PRK, 40 eyes with a mean MRSE of –7.40 D (range –6.0 D to –14.25 D) were treated with LASEK. For surgery either the SCHWIND Excimer laser Keratom MultiScan or ESIRIS (Schwind EyeTech, Germany) were used. Results: Compared to high myopia PRK corrections no significant advantage of LASEK could be found: neither faster postoperative visual rehabilitation nor reduced amount of haze were observed. Predictability of the refractive effect and uncorrected/best corrected visual acuity were comparable. The patients being treated with LASEK had a tendency for less pain in the initial postoperative period. Conclusions: We nowadays perform LASEK as standard superficial Excimer laser ablation. Its main advantage is seen in the reduction of postoperative pain, while factors such as reduction of corneal haze and faster visual rehabilitation lack behind expectations. The low level of haze seen in the PRK group might be related both to optimized postoperative drug regimen and homogenous beam profiles of nowadays Excimer lasers.

Keywords: refractive surgery: other technologies • refractive surgery: PRK • refractive surgery: comparative studies