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LASEK effective for moderate, high myopia

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Laser epithelial keratomileusis is safe and effective for correction of even high myopia, according to a poster presentation here.

LASEK seems to combine some of the advantages of LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy while avoiding some of their complications, said Bernhard Gabler, MD, and colleagues here at the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting. After LASEK surgery there was little or no haze in this study, and the procedure avoids the flap complications possible with LASIK, the study authors said. Postoperative visual results were comparable to PRK and LASIK results for high myopes.

The researchers reported 6-month data on LASEK in 45 eyes with a spherical equivalent of less than -6 D and in 40 eyes with a spherical equivalent between -6 D and -12 D.

No eye lost 2 or more lines of best corrected visual acuity. Among the higher myopes, 72% were within 0.5 D and 82% were within 1 D of target. In the moderate myope group, 72% were within 0.5 D and 88% were within 1 D.

In 95% of the highly myopic eyes, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 20/40 or better at 6 months, and in 57% it was 20/20 or better. In all the moderately myopic eyes, UCVA was 20/40 or better at 6 months, and in 68% it was 20/20 or better.

In all eyes, the maximum regression was -1.75 D.

“Because LASEK is associated with little pain, little haze and a relatively rapid visual recovery period, and because a stromal cut is not required, we regard LASEK not only as an alternative to PRK, but also to LASIK for both moderate and high myopes,” Dr. Gabler said.