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Off-flap epi-LASIK with MMC may speed epithelial healing, visual recovery
Off-flap epi-LASIK with mitomycin C yielded lower tear cytokine levels than on-flap epi-LASIK with mitomycin C, according to a study.
The prospective, randomized study included 18 patients with myopia who underwent off-flap epi-LASIK with MMC in one eye and on-flap epi-LASIK with MMC in the fellow eye. Mean patient age was 27 years.
Uncorrected distance visual acuity was 0.14 in the off-flap group and 0.35 in the on-flap group at 5 days after surgery; the between-group difference was statistically significant (P < .001). However, both groups had similar uncorrected distance visual acuity at 2 hours, 1 day, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively.
The release rates of tear basic fibroblast growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were significantly lower in the off-flap group than in the on-flap group at 2 hours postoperatively.
Both groups had similar mean spherical equivalent refraction at 1 month and 3 months. Refraction was within 1 D of the target in all eyes of both groups.
The mean percentage of corneal epithelial healing was 100% in the off-flap group and 90.56% in the on-flap group at 5 days (P < .001).
Significantly fewer eyes in the off-flap group had haze than those in the on-flap group at 1 month (P = .049). However, haze was similar in both groups at 3 months, the authors said.