[Long term results of laser refractive operations--methods Epi-LASIK or LASEK].

PURPOSE: To compare and evaluate postoperative results of two methods of refractive laser surgery, Epi-LASIK and LASEK, performed at the Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry of St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic.

METHODS

128 eyes operation were performed on patients with myopia, 102 with the Epi-LASIK method and 26 with the LASEK method. The preoperative mean spherical equivalent was -4.8 +/- 2.6 D (range -2.3 to -7.5) in the Epi-LASIK eyes and -3.5 +/- 3.1 D (range -1.6 to -7.8) in the LASEK eyes. The average preoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 0,129 (from 0.02 to 0.8) with the Epi-LASIK method and 0,246 (from 0.02 to 0.8) with the LASEK method. The best average corrected visual acuity was 1,139 (from 0.63 to 1.6) with the Epi-LASIK method and 1.115 (from 0.25 to 1.25) with the LASEK method. The average cylindrical refraction of the Epi-LASIK patients before the operation was -1.52 +/- 0.80 D (range -1.0 to -3.5) and the LASEK patients was -1.55 +/- 0.89 D (range -1.0 to -3.0), except of those who have astigmatism up to +/- 0.75D. In both methods was used the excimer laser Mel 80 Meditec-Zeiss with 193 nm wavelength and the frequency of 250 Hz and active eye-tracking system.

RESULTS

The postoperative mean spherical equivalent was 0 +/- 0.5 D (range -0.6 to 0.6) in the Epi-LASIK eyes and 0.3 +/- 0.4 D (range -0.3 to 0.7) in the LASEK eyes. The average uncorrected visual acuity was 0.745 with Epi-LASIK and 0.687 with LASEK after first week, 0.996 and 1,083 after month, 1.068 and 1.063 after 3 months, 1.147 and 1,082 after 6 months, 1.090 and 1.031 after one year. The average cylindrical refraction after the operation was -0.82 +/- 0.69 D (range 0 to -1.7) with Epi-LASIK and -0.59 +/- 0.55 D (range 0 to -1.5) with LASEK. Average "haze", evaluated by the Gartry's scale, was 0.39 with Epi-LASIK and 0.46 with LASEK after week, 0.21 and 0.06 after one year.

CONCLUSIONS

The Epi-LASIK and LASEK methods have comparable postoperative results of visual acuity, astigmatism, "haze". They are effective too in worse form of the myopia.