EFFECT OF DECREASING SURFACE AND INTERFACE IRREGULARITIES AFTER PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY AND LASER IN-SITU KERATOMILEUSIS ON OPTICAL ANDFUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES

PURPOSE: To assess a new method for decreasing corneal ablated surface irregularities after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in s itu keratomileusis (LASIK) by performing a final smoothing immediately after the treatment. METHODS: One hundred forty-seven eyes with ablat ion irregularities after PRK or LASIK using the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser and examined with the Nidek EAS 1000, were randomized into two g roups: 74 eyes had final smoothing and 73 eyes were patched immediatel y. Preoperative mean refraction for the smoothing group was -7.55 +/- 2.50 D and for the patched group, it was -7.30 +/- 1.90 D, (p = 0.04). RESULTS: At 12 months after treatment, mean haze was 0.5 +/- 0.3 in t he smoothing group and 1.2 +/- 0.4 in the patched group (p = 0.006); m ean spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 1.1 +/- 0.25 in the smoothin g group and 0.95 +/- 0.18 in the patched group (p = 0.02); the percent ages of eyes within 1.00 D of the planned correction was 68% in the sm oothing group and 33% in the patched group. CONCLUSION: Performing a f inal smoothing immediately after PRK or LASIK improves refractive and optical outcomes.