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Butterfly laser epithelial keratomileusis for myopia
Paolo Vinciguerra1, Fabrizio I Camesasca
1Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Milano, Italy. paolo.vinciguerra@humanitas.it
Summary
Butterfly LASEK improves epithelial viability and speeds recovery after laser eye surgery. This new technique enhances patient comfort and visual outcomes compared to conventional LASEK.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Refractive Surgery
- Corneal Surgery
Background:
- Standard laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) can lead to decreased epithelial viability, causing delayed recovery, reduced visual acuity, and discomfort.
- Addressing these postoperative complications is crucial for improving patient outcomes in refractive surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate a novel LASEK technique, termed "Butterfly" LASEK, designed to enhance epithelial viability.
- To compare the efficacy and patient experience of Butterfly LASEK against conventional LASEK.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 35 patients (70 eyes), where one eye underwent conventional LASEK and the fellow eye underwent Butterfly LASEK.
- Butterfly LASEK involves creating a paracentral epithelial line, applying alcohol and BSS solution, separating epithelium with a spatula, and repositioning flaps before excimer laser ablation.
Main Results:
- Butterfly LASEK resulted in a mean spherical equivalent refraction of -0.10 +/- 0.40 D at 12 months, with no loss of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA).
- Ninety percent of patients preferred Butterfly LASEK due to increased comfort, with 96.2% of corneas showing complete clarity and only trace haze at 12 months.
Conclusions:
- Butterfly LASEK aims to preserve limbal stem cell and vascular connections, thereby improving epithelial viability.
- This technique facilitates faster postoperative recovery and enhanced visual outcomes in patients undergoing LASEK.