EXCIMER LASER

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of excimer laserphotorefractive keratectomy for myopia in Pakistani people. Design: Prospective study. Setting: At Al-Shifa Trust EyeHospital Rawalpindi. Period: October, 1995 and Febrauray, 1996. Material & Methods: The study group of thirteenpatients, comprises of 25 eyes, with refractive error ranging from -1.50 to -3.50 D.S (diopters sphere) and less than-1.50 D.C (diopters cylinder).Results: Thirteen eyes (52%) lost to follow up after three months. Only twelve eyes (48%)could be reviewed at six months after photorefractive keratectomy. At one month, eleven eyes (44%) and at threemonths, eight eyes (32%) were hypermetropic within +0.25 to +1.00 diopters of spherical equivalent .At six months onlythree eyes (25%) had hypermetropia within +0.25 to +1.00 diopters spherical equivalent. None of the eyes had anykind of astigmatism more than 1.00 diopter. No over correction of more than +1.00 diopter of spherical equivalent wasobserved in any case. At one month, three months and six months after photo-refractive keratectomy, 88%, 80% and100% eyes had 6/6 visual acuity respectively, without any optical aid. Hundred percent of the eyes showed completehealing of the epithelium on third post operative day. Moderate to severe postoperative pain was experienced by everyone for three days with gradual reduction in intensity. Only one eye (8.33%) had grade 1 haze at six months. Restsof the eyes were clear .No vision threatening complications occurred. Despite the short term follow up, photorefractivekeratectomy appears to be an effective and safe procedure with good predictability for the correction of low myopia.Conclusion: Despite relatively short term follow up of the study; photo refractive keratectomy (PRK) appears to be safeand quite predictable procedure for correction of low myopia.