ALLERGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS AS A RISK FACTOR FOR REGRESSION AND HAZE AFTER PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY

PURPOSE: To analyze the relation between allergic conjunctivitis and t he results of photorefractive keratectomy performed with an excimer la ser in myopic eyes. METHODS: Fifty-seven myopic eyes in 57 Japanese pa tients were classified into three groups: a normal group (30 eyes of 3 0 patients), a treatment group composed of eyes with allergic conjunct ivitis that were treated with fluorometholone and cromolyn sodium eyed rops from month 3 until the end of the 12- to 18-month follow-up perio d (16 eyes of 16 patients), and a no treatment group composed of eyes with allergic conjunctivitis that received no allergic treatment until the end of the follow up period (11 eyes of 11 patients). Preoperativ e and postoperative examinations included evaluation of corrected and uncorrected visual acuity and grading of corneal haze. RESULTS: Zn the no-treatment group, the mean corneal haze score +/- SD of 0.8 +/- 0.9 8 was significantly greater than the normal group score of 0.38 +/- 0. 49 (P = .02). There was no significant difference in the haze score be tween the treated and normal groups. A refractive outcome of +/-1 diop ter was obtained in 30 (100%) of the 30 patients in the normal group, 15 (93.8%) of 16 patients in the treatment group, and four (36.4%) of the 11 patients in the no-treatment group. Visual acuity was 20/40 or better after photorefractive keratectomy in 30 patients (100%) in the normal group, 15 patients (93.8%) in the treatment group, and six pati ents (54.5%) in the no-treatment group. CONCLUSION: These findings sug gest that untreated allergic conjunctivitis is a significant risk fact or for haze and myopic regression after photo refractive keratectomy.