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Remaining peripheral segments relax after myopic PRK
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BARCELONA — After myopic PRK, when a series of corneal lamellae are severed centrally, the remaining peripheral segments relax, according to a presenter at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting here.
 Maddalena De Bernardo |
"The squeezing force on the matrix is reduced, and the distance between lamellae expands. This allows periphery on the cornea to thicken, and the peripheral increase in corneal thickness will compensate for the ablated corneal tissue leading to a change in corneal volume," Maddalena De Bernardo, MD, said.
Central corneal thickness and corneal volume were obtained with an Oculus Pentacam 1, 3 and 6 months after PRK in 84 eyes of 55 patients who had a mean preoperative refraction of –4.93 ± 2.23 D.
One month postop, mean differences for central corneal thickness and corneal volume were 73.2 ± 31.5 µm and 2.2 ± 1.7 mL, respectively. Three-month mean differences were 66.6 ± 26.7 µm and 1.4 ± 1.3 mL, and the 6-month mean differences were 65.3 ± 25.7 µm and 1.4 ± 1.3 mL. The effective treatment at each follow-up was correlated with central corneal thickness changes, but not with corneal volume changes, Dr. De Bernardo said.