ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS EVALUATION 2 YEARS AFTER PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY

To evaluate long-term corneal endothelium damages after myopic photore fractive keratectomy (PRK) a morphometric analysis of corneal endothel ial cells was performed in 41 patients before and at least 24 months a fter photorefractive keratectomy. These patients underwent a treatment ranging from -2.5 to -14 dpt with a mean of 8.9+/-2.8 dpt at the corn eal apex, with an estimated corneal thinning ranging from 23 to 123 mu m with a mean of 78+/-24.4 mu m. Our results showed that the density of endothelial cells ranged from 2,334 to 3,554/mm(2) with a mean of 2 ,819+/-351/mm(2) before surgery, and from 2,051 to 3,461/mm(2) with a mean of 2,774+/-330/mm(2) after surgery without any significant change s (p = 0.16), The polymorphic index ranged from 58 to 84 with a mean o f 77+/-5.7 before PRK and from 57 to 89 with a mean of 77.7+/-7.2 afte r treatment without any significant changes (p = 0.61). In conclusion, we can state that there is no long-term corneal endothelial damage af ter PRK even in highly myopic eyes.