EXCIMER-LASER PHOTOTHERAPEUTIC KERATECTOMY FOR TREATMENT OF RECURRENTCORNEAL EROSION

Two patients with a history of frequent recurrent corneal erosion for whom standard medical therapy was determined ineffective had photother apeutic keratectomy (PTK) with an excimer laser. Before treatment, one patient had four episodes in a six-month period; the other had ten to 20 recurrences with four serious episodes in a seven-month period. Af ter PTK, neither patient had a recurrence after 18 months follow-up. S ubjectively, both patients felt the treated area healed faster than pr evious abrasions. Vision, refraction, keratometry, and corneal thickne ss measurements appeared unaffected by the treatment.