TRAUMATIC CORNEAL ABRASIONS FOLLOWING PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY

BACKGROUND: During excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy, central Bowman's layer and superficial stroma are removed. A potential disadva ntage of this technique is whether proper epithelization of the cornea will occur in the event of a corneal abrasion. A potential advantage of photorefractive keratectomy over radial keratotomy in the event of blunt trauma is the presumably sound structural integrity of the corne a following superficial removal of stroma in photorefractive keratecto my compared to the weakened cornea following deep incisions in radial keratotomy. METHODS: We report two patients who sustained corneal abra sions from blunt trauma to the eye and orbit following photorefractive keratectomy - one following a fist injury and the other following a k arate kick. RESULTS: In both patients, the corneal abrasions healed wi thout incident and without recurrent erosions and both corneas remaine d intact. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal abrasion following trauma in two patien ts who has undergone photorefractive keratectomy healed as expected in a normal cornea. Although it is uncertain whether the trauma in these patients would have been sufficient to rupture radial keratotomy inci sions, as would be expected from a superficial photorefractive keratec tomy, the corneas remained intact following blunt trauma.