Prospective evaluation of myopic keratomileusis.

The initial results of a prospective evaluation of myopic keratomileusis are reported. The procedure was attempted on 42 eyes, with an average follow-up of 10 months. The average reductions of myopia were 7.05 D and 11.59 D when measured by keratometry and refraction, respectively. Regular astigmatism increased by 0.50 D on keratometry, but there was no change in the refractive cylinder. The majority of patients had some irregular astigmatism on corneoscopy. The average percent correction, based on refraction, was 94.1 +/- 24%, and the correlation coefficient was 0.43. Visual rehabilitation was rapid. No patient followed for 1 year or more had a decrease in the best-corrected acuity, and 63% of this group had an average improvement of 1.5 lines with as much as five lines. The final refraction may take up to 6 months to stabilize. Complications consisted of epithelium and debris in the interface and focal necrosis of Bowman's membrane. The technique is difficult but may have application in the visual rehabilitation of the high myope.