DISABILITY GLARE AFTER EXCIMER-LASER PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY FOR MYOPIA

BACKGROUND: A change of corneal topography and haze after excimer lase r photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) can reduce contrast sensitivity an d cause glare, Both glare and contrast sensitivity can be examined in a reproducible manner with one instrument. METHODS: We have used the B erkeley Glare Test to examine 46 eyes of 32 patients before and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after excimer laser PRK for moderate to high myopi a. Multiple regression analysis was used for statistical analysis. RES ULTS: High contrast visual acuity showed a statistically significant d eterioration during the first 6 months after PRK (p=0.01); 1 year afte r treatment visual acuity returned to almost pretreatment levels (p=0. 2). High- and low contrast visual acuity under glare deteriorated sign ificantly 3 months after PRK and had only risen slightly 1 year later (p less than or equal to 0.0065). A similar development could be obser ved for the low contrast visual acuity without glare. CONCLUSION: Alth ough high contrast visual acuity recovers by 1 year after PRK, low con trast visual acuity and glare deteriorate significantly and do not rec over, even after 1 year.