J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2002 Sep;43(9):1591-1596.

Effectiveness of Intraepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy (IE-PRK) for Myopic Regression after LASIK

• Kim JK
• Lee HK
• Lee IS
• Kim KW

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of intreaepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (IE-PRK) for the treatment of myopic regression after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)
METHODS
38 eyes of 22 patients who had previous LASIK for myopia were selected and retreated with IE-PRK, in which a photoablation was performed directly in the epithelium without damage to Bowman's layer. All eyes were elapsed at least 6 months after the LASIK. Follow-up was up to 6 months and within +/-0.50 of emmetropia on 6 months after surgery was considered as a success.
RESULTS
Before IE-PRK, the eyes regressed to a mean of .1.26+/-0.45 D spherical equivalent (SE). The mean SE at 1 week after IE-PRK was .0.44+/-0.88 D, 1 month was .0.59+/-0.45 D, 3 month was .0.63+/-0.41, 6 month was .0.62+/-0.43 (p<0.05). 23 of the 38 eyes (60.5%) had refraction within +/-0.50 and were considered as successfully treated. Preoperative mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.33+/-0.18 (Snellen equivalent) and final mean BCVA was 0.77+/-0.99 (p<0.01). There were no significant complications of corneal flap.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that intraepithelial photorefractive keratectomy appears to be a safe means for treating patients for regression after LASIK procedure. But success rate was not so good as the enhancement. Controlled studies with larger population will be necessary to evaluate the accuracy of the method more correctly.

Keyword

Intraepithelial photorefractive surgery (IE-PRK); Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK); Regression

MeSH Terms

Emmetropia
Epithelium
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ*
Myopia
Photorefractive Keratectomy*
Visual Acuity