Epithelial healing time and rate of the cornea after myopic epikeratoplasty

This study was performed to investigate the corneal epithelial healing time and rate according to the method for promoting the reepithelization after myopic epikeratoplasty. A prospective study was conducted on 30 myopic epikeratoplasties which were divided into 3 groups according to the method for promoting the epithelial healing. The groups consisted of 10 eyes with pressure patches, 10 eyes with Acuvue disposable contact lens (CL) and 10 eyes with SeeQuence disposable CL. The cornea epithelial healing time were 3.4, 3.5 and 3.4 postoperative days for the pressure patch, Acuvue CL and SeeQuence CL groups, respectively. The corneal epithelial healing rates during postoperative 1, 2, and 3 days were 0.33, 0.78, and 0.44 mm2/hour for the pressure patch group; 0.24, 0.92 and 0.37 mm2/hour for the Acuvue CL group; and 0.30, 0.79 and 0.38 mm2/hour for the SeeQuence CL group. These results suggest that a disposable contact lens may not hinder epithelial healing compared with a pressure patch.