[Characteristics of correction of myopia by photorefractive keratectomy in patients with presbyopia].

Photorefraction keratectomy was performed with a Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser in 29 patients (58 eyes) with slight and medium myopia aged 40-60 years. After 12 months the mean visual acuity in the leading eye without correction was 0.82 +/- 0.12 in patients aged 40-50 (group 1) and 0.76 +/- 0.11 in those aged 51-60 years (group 2). The mean refraction of the leading eye in group 1 was -0.97 +/- 0.02 diopters and in group 2 0.72 +/- 0.04 diopters. In group 1 the resultant undercorrection was -1.6 +/- 0.4 diopters (107% of planned undercorrection) and in group 2 -1.8 +/- 0.4 diopters (72% of planned undercorrection). The proposed method effectively corrects slight and medium myopia in patients of presbyopia age. 82% patients were satisfied with the results of treatment: 67% of them did not need eyeglasses for reading and 54% could drive a car without eyeglasses.