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Short-term visual recovery faster with LASIK than LASEK in study

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While 3-month visual outcomes appear similar after LASEK with topical mitomycin-C and LASIK for correcting high myopia, short-term visual improvement may be significantly faster after LASIK, according to a prospective study by researchers in Spain.

"Ten percent more eyes after LASIK were within ±0.50 D of intended refraction," the authors said.

Laura de Benito-Llopis, MD, and colleagues at Vissum Madrid and the Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, compared visual outcomes — including uncorrected visual acuity and best corrected visual acuity, as well as safety and efficacy indices — among 114 eyes that underwent LASIK and 114 eyes that underwent LASEK with intraoperative MMC 0.02%. All eyes had a spherical equivalent of –7 D or greater with –3.5 D or less of cylinder.

Preoperative spherical equivalent averaged –8.72 D in the LASEK group and –8.74 D in the LASIK group, the authors noted.

At 1, 7 and 30 days postop, UCVA was significantly lower in LASEK eyes than in LASIK eyes (P = .0001).

At 3 months postop, the investigators found no significant differences in UCVA, BCVA, or the safety and efficacy indices.

A UCVA of 1.0 or better was achieved in 34.2% of LASEK eyes and in 44.7% of LASIK eyes, with 3-month spherical refraction averaging +0.25 D after LASEK and –0.06 D after LASIK (P = .0001).

At final follow-up, 68% of LASEK eyes and 79% of LASIK eyes were within ±0.50 D of intended refraction, the authors reported.

Also at final follow-up, seven LASIK eyes and no LASEK eyes had lost two lines of BCVA, while one LASIK eye and eight LASEK eyes had gained two or more lines of BCVA, according to the study, published in the May issue of Journal of Refractive Surgery.