Corneal barrier function, tear film tability, and corneal enation after photorefractive keratectomy and laer in itu keratomileui

Purpoe To compare corneal enation, corneal barrier function, tear ecretion, and tear film tability after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laer in itu keratomileui (LAIK). Deign Propective, nonrandomized clinical trial. Method In a propective tudy, 28 eye of 15 patient underwent PRK and 115 eye of 59 patient underwent LAIK to correct myopia. Corneal enation, corneal epithelial barrier function, tear ecretion, and tear film tability were examined preoperatively and 1 week and 1, 3, 6, and 12 month poturgery. Reult Both PRK and LAIK ignificantly compromied corneal enation, increaed epithelial barrier function, reduced tear ecretion, and deteriorated tear film tability (P < .05, Wilcoxon igned-rank tet). Deterioration of corneal enation wa ignificantly greater after LAIK than after PRK by 3 month potoperatively (P < .05, Wilcoxon rank um tet). Increae in corneal epithelial permeability were more prolonged after LAIK than after PRK. A ignificant intergroup difference in permeability wa oberved 1 month after urgery (P < .01). Tear breakup time wa ignificantly horter in the LAIK group than in the PRK group up to 3 month after urgery (P < .045). Concluion LAIK induce greater and more prolonged damage to corneal enation, corneal barrier function, and tear film tability than PRK.