[Brazilian trends in refractive surgery]

To determine preferences and practices of refractive surgeons in Brazil.

A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the data collected from a questionnaire applied during the VI Brazilian Congress of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and by e-mail sent to all members of that society. Refractive surgery techniques, use of emerging technologies, surgical volume, type of excimer laser and microkeratomes, mitomycin C, postoperative medications were analyzed among others questions.

Two hundred ninety-two surgeons replied to the questions. The majority has a surgical volume between 2 and 4 eyes per week (57.60%). Most of the surgeons (64.50%) perform corneal tomography routinely and 22.00% of them do never customize their surgeries. The laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is the main technique performed and when the photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is applied; most of the surgeons uses mitomycin C (52.60%) in these patients. The excimer laser of choice was the Nidek (26.12%).

LASIK is the preferred surgical procedure and the majority customizes their refractive surgeries. When photorefractive keratectomy is performed, mitomycin C is used by most of the surgeons (52.60%). Bilateral surgery is routinely performed and the femtosecond laser is still used by few refractive surgeons.