Influence of intraoperative epithelial defect on outcome in LAIK for myopia

Purpoe Internet Advance publication at ajo.com Augut 28, 2003. To evaluate whether intraoperative epithelial defect have an advere effect on achieving deired refractive outcome following laer in itu keratomileui (LAIK) for myopia. Deign Obervational retropective cae control tudy. Method Thirty eye that had intraoperative epithelial defect on the LAIK flap were compared with 60 randomly elected control eye, matched for age, preoperative pherical equivalent, and preoperative cylinder, that had no intraoperative epithelial defect. Preoperative and potoperative clinical data were compared between the two group. tatitical analye were performed uing analyi of mean, analyi of variance, and the tudent t tet. Comparion variable included preoperative pherical equivalent, 3-month potoperative bet-corrected viual acuity, attempted correction, amount of undercorrection at 3 month potoperatively, and whether LAIK enhancement wa performed at 3 month potoperatively. Reult Eye with intraoperative epithelial defect howed more undercorrection at 3 month (P = .005), were more likely to have lot line of viual acuity (P = .003), and underwent more enhancement procedure at 3 month (P = .004) compared with control eye. Concluion Intraoperative epithelial defect during LAIK predipoe eye to increaed wound healing, leading to myopic regreion, irregular wound healing with lo of viual acuity, and increaed need for enhancement procedure.