[Clinical use of the excimer laser in treatment of surface corneal opacities--therapeutic strategy and case reports].

BACKGROUND

The authors report on the Phototherapeutic 193nm-Excimer Laser Keratectomy (PTK) for the treatment of superficial corneal opacities.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: In two cases with corneal opacities after contact lens wearing and after therapy resistant keratoconjunctivitis epidemica respectively the treatment strategy is presented. The epithelium and the corneal opacities are removed mechanically as far as possible. Then the Excimer laser smoothing with masking fluids of different viscosity is performed.

RESULTS

In both patients the visual acuity improved from 1/50 and 0.16 respectively to 0.7. Both eyes had an hyperopic shift. The patients were without pain within a follow-up period of 8 months after treatment.

CONCLUSION

The phototherapeutical use of the 193nm Excimer laser to treat superficial corneal opacities can be regarded as a real alternative to conventional surgical techniques.