Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Laser Surgery
• Refractive Surgery

Background:

• Myopia, or nearsightedness, affects a significant portion of the population.
• Traditional methods for myopia correction have limitations.
• Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) emerged as a potential surgical solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and stability of excimer laser PRK for myopia correction.
• To assess post-treatment outcomes in normal-sighted myopic eyes.
• To analyze refractive results based on preoperative myopia levels.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 44 normal-sighted myopic eyes using a 193-nm excimer laser.
• Eyes were divided into three groups based on preoperative refractive error and attempted correction.
• Postoperative outcomes, including refractive error and visual acuity, were monitored at 3 and 6 months.

Main Results:

• High percentages of eyes achieved refractive outcomes within +/- 1.0 D (95% in group I, 64% in group II, 67% in group III).
• Excellent uncorrected visual acuity (20/40 or better) was achieved in most eyes (100% in group I, 92% in group II).
• Refractive outcomes were stable by 3 months post-surgery, with mild, transient corneal haze observed, correlating with the degree of correction.

Conclusions:

• Excimer laser PRK is a reasonably predictable and stable procedure for correcting low to moderate myopia.
• The treatment demonstrated a good safety profile with no significant complications.
• Further research may explore optimizing PRK for higher degrees of myopia.