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Comparison of 18% ethanol and mechanical debridement for epithelial removal before photorefractive keratectomy
S Shah1, S J Doyle, A Chatterjee
1Optimax Laser Eye Clinic, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Purpose:
To assess the safety of alcohol compared to mechanical debridement for epithelial removal prior to photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
Methods:
Forty-one second eyes of 41 patients underwent epithelial removal using alcohol prior to PRK with a Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser. The results were compared with the results of the 41 first eyes of the same patients that had mechanical debridement.
Results:
Initial results showed that the alcohol treated group tended to stay slightly hyperopic but had less haze compared to the mechanical debridement group. The treating surgeons favored alcohol as the preferred method of epithelium removal.
Conclusion:
Alcohol debridement is an effective procedure although algorithms may have to be altered to take into account the slightly different healing process postoperatively.