Comparion of Corneal Nerve Regeneration and enitivity Between LAIK and Laer Epithelial Keratomileui (LAEK)

Purpoe To compare change in corneal nerve fiber and keratocyte denity by confocal microcopy after laer-aited in itu keratomileui (LAIK) and laer epithelial keratomileui (LAEK). Deign Propective, nonrandomized comparative clinical trial. Method Fifty-ix eye of 28 patient who underwent LAIK and 52 eye of 26 patient who underwent LAEK were included. Confocal microcopic data of the central cornea, corneal enitivity, tear film breakup time, and chirmer value were determined at three and ix month after LAIK or LAEK treatment. Reult In the LAIK group, corneal enitivity wa reduced from preoperative level at ix month after urgery. In the LAEK group, however, there wa no difference between baeline and ix-month potoperative value. The number of ubbaal nerve fiber and the keratocyte denity were alo different in the LAIK and LAEK group. The regeneration of corneal nerve correlated trongly with the recovery of corneal enation and keratocyte denity in both group, wherea the tear film breakup time, chirmer value, and epithelial thickne did not correlate with corneal nerve regeneration in either group. Concluion The greater decreae in the number of ubbaal nerve fiber in the LAIK group compared with the LAEK group may relate to the greater decreae in corneal enitivity. The pattern of corneal nerve regeneration and the recovery of corneal enation after LAEK did not differ greatly from that after photorefractive keratectomy in previou tudie.