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. 2012 Jul-Sep;19(3):304-8.
doi: 10.4103/0974-9233.97931.

Efficacy, predictability, and safety of laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy for the treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism

Faisal M Al-Tobaigy  1
Affiliations

Efficacy, predictability, and safety of laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy for the treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism

Faisal M Al-Tobaigy. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jul-Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose was to report the refractive and visual outcomes of laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) for the treatment of myopia.

Materials and methods: A retrospective, noncomparative consecutive case series of 173 of 91 patients who had undergone LASEK is presented. Primary outcome variables included uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), manifest refraction, epithelialization time, pain, haze, and complications.

Results: Preoperatively, the mean spherical equivalent (SE) was -3.71 ± 1.63 D (range, -0.875 D to 8.25 D), and the mean LogMAR BSCVA was -0.0374 ± 0.0767 D (range, -0.47 D to 0.00 D). On the final visit, the mean SE was -0.05 ± 0.335 D (range, -1.63 D to 1.00 D), the mean LogMAR UCVA was 0.04674 ± 0.0771 D (range, -0.3010 D to 0.1249 D) and the mean LogMAR BSCVA was -0.0164 ± 0.0497 (range -0.3010 to 0.124). All eyes achieved vision of 20/40 or better, and 83.2% of the eyes achieved a vision of 20/25 or better. One 64 (94.94%) and all the eyes were within ± 0.50 D and ± 1.00 D of the attempted correction respectively. Complete epithelialization occurred in 4.70 ± 2.09 days (range, 2-10 days). At the final visit, 79.7% of eyes had a clear cornea. Grade 1 haze developed in 17.34% of the eyes, grade 2 haze developed in 2.89% of eyes developed; no eyes developed grade 3 or 4 haze.

Conclusions: LASEK is a safe, effective, and predictable method for the treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism.

Keywords: Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratectomy; Myopia; Myopic Astigmatism.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Graph depicting the frequency of epithelialization time (in days)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graph showing postoperative UCVA% from 20/15 to 20/40
Figure 3
Figure 3
Graph showing the frequency of patients with postoperative equivalent values within +/– 0.5D and +/– 1.0D
Figure 4
Figure 4
Graph demonstrating the loss or gain of lines among the patients at the final follow-up visit
Figure 5
Figure 5
Grades of corneal haze at final visit
Figure 6
Figure 6
Postoperative pain reported by the patients
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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