LASIK Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgeons from Sadalla Amin Ghanem Eye Hospital and the University of Joinville, in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil; and the University of São Paulo and the State University of Campinas, in São Paulo, Brazil; evaluated fifty one patients who opted for laser refractive surgery, with one eye operated on with PRK and the other with butterfly LASEK.

The researchers from Santa Catarina and São Paulo have concluded:
“Photorefractive keratectomy showed a modest but statistically significant shorter reepithelialization time and a tendency towards lower pain scores than butterfly LASEK. The reepithelialization time was strongly associated with the duration of surgery in both techniques. A similar reduction of Schirmer test values was observed up to 1 year postoperatively in both groups.“¹

The laser eye surgeons from Brazil have also noted:

• “PURPOSE: To compare corneal reepithelialization, pain scores, ocular discomfort, and tear production after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and butterfly laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK).”
• “The mean reepithelialization time in the PRK group was 4.35+/-0.48 days (range: 4 to 5 days) and 4.75+/-0.72 days (range: 4 to 6 days) in the butterfly LASEK group (P<.002).”
• “Pain scores and ocular discomfort were not statistically different between groups, although a trend towards a lower pain level with PRK was noted (3.31+/-4.09 vs 4.43+/-4.27; P=.18).”
• “Schirmer test values were significantly reduced from preoperative levels through 12 months with both PRK (23.6+/-8.1 vs 19.4+/-10.1; P<.002) and butterfly LASEK (22.4+/-8.7 vs 18.9+/-9.7; P=.01); however, no difference between groups was noted at any time.”

(1) Ghanem VC, Souza GC, Souza DC, Viese JM, Weber SL, Kara-José N: PRK and butterfly LASEK: prospective, randomized, contralateral eye comparison of epithelial healing and ocular discomfort. J Refract Surg. 2008 Jun;24(6):591-9.

Tags: after photorefractive keratectomy associated Brazil butterfly butterfly LASEK compare corneal reepithelialization comparison contralateral duration eye healing Joinville LASEK laser laser epithelial keratomileusis laser eye surgeons laser refractive surgery lower pain lower pain level ocular discomfort one eye operated ower pain scores pain pain scores photorefractive keratectomy PRK randomized reduction reepithelialization reepithelialization time Sadalla Amin Ghanem Eye Hospital Santa Catarina São Paulo Schirmer test values shorter State University of Campinas statistically significant strongly surgery tear production techniques tendency University of Joinville University of São Paulo