Abdul Moqeet, Imran Azam Butt.
Excimer laser; photorefractive keratectomy for 1.50 to 3.50 diopters of myopia (six months follow up).
Professional Med J Jan ;15(1):20-5.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia in Pakistani people. Design: Prospective study. Setting: At Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi. Period: October, 1995 and Febrauray, 1996. Material & Methods: The study group of thirteen patients, comprises of 25 eyes, with refractive error ranging from -1.50 to -3.50 D.S (diopters sphere) and less than -1.50 D.0 (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 three months, eight eyes (32%) were hypermetropic within +0.25 to +1.00 diopters of spherical equivalent .At six months only three eyes (25%) had hypermetropia within +0.25 to +1.00 diopters spherical equivalent. None of the eyes had any kind of astigmatism more than 1.00 diopter. No over correction of more than +1.00 diopter of spherical equivalent was observed in any case. A t one month, three months and six months after photo-refractive keratectomy, 88%, 80% and 100% eyes had 6/6 visual acuity respectively, without any optical aid. Hundred percent of the eyes showed complete healing of the epithelium on third post operative day. Moderate to severe postoperative pain was experienced by every one for three days with gradual reduction in intensity. Only one eye (8.33%) had grade 1 haze at six months. Rests of the eyes were clear .No vision threatening complications occurred. Despite the short term follow up, photorefractive keratectomy 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 safe and quite predictable procedure for correction of low myopia.

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