Posters

Corneal haze and myopia regression after photorefractive keratectomy

Poster Details

First Author: H. Lin TAIWAN

Co Author(s):    C. Hsiao   Y. Chen                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To report the incidence and clinical course of a series of patients who developed both delayed-onset, clinically significant progressive haze and myopia regression after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK )

Setting:

University based tertiary referral center in Taiwan

Methods:

43 patients (79 eyes) who had undergone PRK for mild to moderate myopia ( < -7D) with the VISX Star S4 Excimer (Customvue, IR, Abbott Medical Optics, Inc.) between July 2007 and Feb 2015 and who had a minimum of 6 months of follow-up were reviewed. After anesthesia of topical proparacaine was applied, a lid speculum was placed and an epithelial scraper was used to remove the corneal epithelium before laser treatment. After the excimer laser treatment, the cornea was irrigated with a balanced salt solution. Then, the ocular surface was covered with therapeutic contact lens.

Results:

Three eyes of 2 patients developed progressive haze 4 months or more after PRK. The historical and clinical features were reviewed. The incidence of progressive haze was 3.8%. The average age was 30.5 years. Two patients were female. The median who had a minimum of 6 months of follow-up were reviewed. spherical equivalent (SE) attempted correction was −5.50 D . One patient who underwent bilateral PRK had unilateral involvement. The mean SE regression was −0.50 ± 0.79 D . Topical steroid treatment was attempted in 3 eyes with symptomatic improvement in one eye.

Conclusions:

An increased incidence of early clinically significant corneal opacity after PRK has been associated with higher attempted corrections, smaller ablation zones (<4.5 mm), male gender, ablations deeper than 50 μm, and discontinuation of topical steroids. Corneal haze and myopic regression in moderate myopia can occur 4 months after PRK. Patients may need at least 6 months of follow-up to achieve a stable refraction and level of haze.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE