Tear film changes following advanced surface ablation and conventional LASIK: a comparative study

Poster Details

First Author: AhmedSherif EGYPT

Co Author(s):    Ahmed Shalaby   Mahmoud Abu Steit   Mohamed Salah        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the effect of conventional LASIK and advanced surface ablation (Trans-epithelial PRK) on tear film secretion (Evaluated by Schirmer 2 test ) & tear film stability (Evaluated by Tear Break Up Time TBUT)

Setting:

: Al Nour eye hospital and Al-Hayat eye center, Giza, Egypt.

Methods:

Design: Prospective , randomized interventional study 40 eyes (20 patients) divided into 2 groups : Group A: 10 patients underwent LASIK using Carl Zeiss MEL 80 laser platform (Heidelberg,Germany) Group B: 10 patients underwent Trans PRK (Schwind AMARIS, TBUT and Schirmer 2 tests were performed pre-operatively and 1 week, 1 month and 3 months postoperative Time span :between March to December 2012. Follow up period : 3 months

Results:

Pre-operatively, there was no statistically significant difference in TBUT and Schirmer 2 test between both groups. After the first week , the decrease in TBUT was 41.54% in LASIK group and in 33.49% surface ablation group. Schirmer II test values in the same period were decreased by 38.69% for the LASIK group and 32.89% for the surface ablation group. After one month, the decrease in TBUT was 31.15% in LASIK group and 20.54% in surface ablation group. Schirmer II test values in the same period were decreased by 29.18% for the LASIK group and 20.73%for the surface ablation group. Three months after the operation, the decrease in TBUT was 22.31% in LASIK group and 13.18% in surface ablation. Schirmer II test values in the same period were decreased by 19.02% for the LASIK group and 10.20% for the surface ablation group.

Conclusions:

Our results showed that tear film secretion and stability was affected in both procedures, but it was affected more in LASIK than in surface ablation throughout all the postoperative measurements in comparison to the preoperative values. Patients started to regain their preoperative values as time passed throughout the follow up. We recommend performing the study on a larger scale and longer follow up to add to the data obtained FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE