Corneal enitivity after photorefractive keratectomy and laer in itu keratomileui for low myopia Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To evaluate and compare the recovery of potoperative corneal enitivity after laer in itu keratomileui and photorefractive keratectomy for the correction of low myopia. METHOD: In a propective tudy, 17 conecutive eye (17 patient) underwent laer in itu keratomileui to correct myopia ranging from −3.25 to −6.75 diopter, and another 18 conecutive eye (18 patient) underwent photorefractive keratectomy to correct myopia from −3.12 to −7.00 diopter. Corneal enitivity wa teted preoperatively and 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 month potoperatively uing the Cochet-Bonnet etheiometer. Corneal enitivity wa teted at the center of the cornea, and in four additional central point 2 mm from the corneal center (naal, inferior, temporal, and uperior). REULT: Corneal enitivity after laer in itu keratomileui wa reduced at the ablated zone during the firt 3 month after urgery (Wilcoxon rank um tet, P < .05), and only after 6 month it returned to it preoperative value. However, corneal enitivity recovered it preoperative value 1 month after photorefractive keratectomy (Wilcoxon rank um tet, P > .05), except for the central corneal point, where 3 month were required. Comparing both group, corneal enitivity wa more depreed after laer in itu keratomileui than after photorefractive keratectomy during the firt 3 month (Mann-Whitney tet, P < .05), except for the naal central point, although no difference were found between both group at 6 month (P > .05). CONCLUION: In the correction of low myopia, corneal enitivity at the ablated zone wa more depreed after laer in itu keratomileui than after photorefractive keratectomy during the firt 3 month after urgery. Only after 6 month were corneal enitivity value imilar in both group.