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LASIK, LASEK have similar visual results in low, moderate myopia

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There were differences in visual results between LASIK and laser epithelial keratomileusis for correction of low to moderate myopia, a recently published retrospective study found, but the differences were not clinically significant.

Faisal M. Tobaigy, MD, and colleagues at the University of Illinois at Chicago reviewed outcomes for 244 eyes treated with LASIK or LASEK to compare the safety, efficacy and predictability of the two refractive surgical procedures. The study included 122 LASIK-treated eyes and 122 refraction-matched LASEK-treated eyes.

The results are published in the December issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

Differences in refraction and final visual acuity between the two procedures are likely due to the treatment nomogram, the study authors said. "Both procedures seem safe, effective and predictable for the treatment of low and moderate myopia. Nomogram adjustment may be necessary for LASIK surgeons adopting surface ablation," they said.

"Although there have been many studies of the safety and efficacy of both types of laser surgery, there has not been a large study directly comparing the outcomes of the two procedures," said Dimitri T. Azar, MD, in a press release from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Azar is chairman of ophthalmology at the university and was the corresponding author of the published paper.

Preoperatively, each group had a mean spherical equivalent of –3.5 D. Postoperatively, spherical equivalent was –0.37 D in LASIK eyes and –0.15 D in LASEK eyes. The difference was statistically significant (P < .001) but not clinically significant, the study authors said.

Both groups also had similar preoperative uncorrected visual acuity. After surgery, UCVA averaged 20/23 in LASIK eyes and 20/21 in LASEK eyes. Again, the difference was statistically significant (P = .001) but not clinically significant, the authors said.

No eyes in either group lost two or more lines of best corrected visual acuity.