EXCIMER-LASER PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY FOR MYOPIA - 12 MONTH FOLLOW-UP

A prospective study of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy was p erformed with the aim of correcting a range of myopic errors between - 1.00 and -10.00 dioptres. Corneal healing was monitored through the fi rst post-operative year by serial assessments of refraction, contrast sensitivity, corneal haze, pachymetry and keratometry. Eighty-one pati ents were recruited for the study. At 12 months 81% were within +/- 1. 00 dioptre of desired emmetropia and with unaided vision of 6/12. Cont rast sensitivity was found by Pelli-Robson assessment to be reduced th roughout the 12 months and regression analysis predicted recovery by 2 years. At 12 months, however, only 15% of patients were found to have lost a single line of best corrected Snellen acuity. Predictability o f results was found to be greatest for initial errors less than -4.00 dioptres. No serious complications were observed during the follow-up period, but refraction had not stabilised in all cases and patients re main under review.