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Gel-assisted, alcohol-assisted LASEK equivalent, study says

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MAUI, Hawaii — Gel-assisted and alcohol-assisted laser epithelial keratomileusis were equivalent in efficacy in a small study, according to Marguerite B. McDonald, MD.

She presented early results in the first 15 patients of a 50-patient study to compare gel-assisted LASEK with alcohol-assisted LASEK here during Hawaii 2003: the Royal Hawaiian Eye Meeting.

Dr. McDonald said gel-assisted LASEK involves stripping the epithelial layer mechanically without alcohol while the eye is briefly under suction from a microkeratome ring. The sheet is then manipulated with the aid of GenTeal Gel (Novartis). All eyes in her study were myopic or myopic with astigmatism and were randomized to receive either alcohol-assisted or gel-assisted surgery.

“Statistically significant treatment differences at this juncture were seen only in the preop best corrected visual acuity for the alcohol-assisted group,” she said.

A greater percentage of gel-assisted eyes than alcohol-assisted eyes were within 0.5 D of emmetropia postoperatively.

Dr. McDonald said these interim results “demonstrated significant differences in favor of alcohol at 1 week, in favor of gel at 1 month and no significant treatment differences at 3 months.”