Results
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Appendix A - Results

 

The following section consists of a small sample of PRK and LASIK studies since these two techniques continue to dominate the field refractive surgery. It should be noted that studies vary considerably in terms of the lasers employed and the average follow up time. The number of eyes examined in each study tends to reduce with follow up time, as a certain number of patients will discharge themselves once they feel their eyes have stabilised. Time undoubtedly gives a better outcome but in some studies the results may be distorted by the small number of eyes considered. Ablation zone diameters vary, with more recent studies tending towards the use of larger treatment zones. It is therefore impossible to state a single value for the predictability and accuracy of a particular technique.

Results in chronological order analysed by degree of pre-operative myopia - PRK

Authors

Number of eyes

Follow up period

Months

Predictability

6/12

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

± 1.00D

Loss of corrected visual acuity

Comments

 

(Gartry et al., 1992)

 

Number of eyes per group

20

9

17

8

8

4

 

Results at 12 months

Treatment given:

-2.00D

-3.00D

-4.00D

-5.00D

-6.00D

-7.00D

 

 

 

 

90%

78%

59%

63%

63%

25%

 

 

 

 

55%

56%

47%

50%

25%

0%

 

 

 

 

95%

70%

40%

50%

40%

20%

 

18% overall

 

 

15% lost 0.5 or 1 line. 3% lost 2 lines, all from –6D or –7D group

 

 

Very early study of PRK. Stable refraction by 4 months. Night halos reported by 78% in the early post-operative period due to very small ablation zone

(4mm zone)

Refractive surgery treatments have changed significantly since this early study but it does demonstrate that the treatment of low myopia gives better results.

Results in chronological order analysed by degree of pre-operative myopia - PRK

 

Authors

Number of eyes

Follow up period

Months

Predictability

6/12

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

± 1.00D

Loss of corrected visual acuity

Comments

(Shah et al., 1998)

 

3218 eyes

 

(-1.00D to –11.88D)

 

12 months

 

94%

 

59%

 

91%

 

0.9% lost 0.3 or more of logMAR acuity

Very large study.

Predictability reduces with increasing myopia

(Tuunanen and Tervo, 1998)

Ablation zone: 6mm

 

 

52 eyes

 

 

34 eyes

 

 

24 eyes

12 months

 

-1.50 to

-6.00D

 

-6.10 to

-8.00D

 

8.10 to

-11.50D

 

 

88%

 

 

68%

 

 

68%

 

 

58%

 

 

26%

 

 

33%

± 1D ± 0.5D

 

87% 58%

 

79% 50%

 

67% 29%

 

Overall 6% lost and 4% gained

two or more lines of best-corrected visual acuity.

Stabilisation of refraction by

3 months

 

 

6 months

 

 

24 months

(Nagy et al., 2002)

-1.5 to -6D

(90 eyes)

 

-6.1 to –9D

(31 eyes)

 

-9.1 to –14D

(9 eyes)

12 months

96%

 

 

74%

 

 

22%

78%

 

 

26%

 

 

0%

99%

 

 

84%

 

 

67%

2.2%

 

 

3.2%

 

 

22%

 

PRK confirmed as unsuitable for the treatment of high myopia

 

 

Results in chronological order for low myopia - PRK

Authors

Number of eyes

Follow up period

(months)

Predictability

6/12

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

± 1.00D

Loss of corrected visual acuity

Comments

(McDonald et al., 1999)

6mm zone

414

spherical

<-6.00D)

 

175

<-6.00D with astigmatism

 

12 months

 

98%

 

 

 

 

97%

 

72%

 

 

 

 

62%

 

± 0.5: 76%

± 1.0: 94%

 

± 0.5: 74%

± 1.0:

95%

 

1.8% lost 2 lines of visual acuity, 0.3% lost > 2 lines

 

2.5% lost 2 lines

 

Stability of refractive error within 3-6 months. Slightly greater risk of losing visual acuity with astigmatic PRK

(Pallikaris et al., 1999)

6mm zone

 

93 eyes

 

-1.50 to

-6.25D

 

 

 

12 months

 

99%

 

70%

 

± 0.5: 75%

± 1.0: 93%

 

1.0% lost 2 lines of corrected visual acuity

 

Stability 3-6 months

No significant reduction in contrast sensitivity detected

Results for the treatment of astigmatism - PARK

Author

Number of eyes

Follow up time (months)

% reduction in astigmatism

Predictability

Accuracy of mean spherical error ± 1.00D

 

(Zadok et al., 1998)

 

128 eyes

-1.0 to –1.5DC

-1.75 to –2.5DC

-2.75 to –6.0DC

 

18 months

 

 

84± 37%

91± 21%

75± 25%

 

6/12 or better in 84%

 

6/6 or better in 49%

 

97% overall

 

 

Results in chronological order for hyperopic PRK

Authors

Number of eyes

Follow up period

months

Predictability

6/12

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

 

Loss of corrected visual acuity

Comments

(Jackson et al., 1998)

 

65

+1.00 to +4.00D

 

12 months

 

72% reached 6/7.5

 

-

± 0.5: 80%

± 1.0:

98%

 

Stabilised between 1-6 months

(Nagy et al., 2001)

800 eyes

 

<+3.5D

 

>+3.75D

12 months

 

 

88%

 

48%

 

 

76%

 

34%

 

 

85%

 

47%

2 lines lost

 

2.1%

 

19%

(12% lost 3 lines)

Stability - 6 months

Night glare

18%

 

41%

Hyperopic PRK not as successful as myopic PRK

(Stevens and Ficker, 2002)

32 eyes

 

+1.75 to +5.0D

 

12 months

 

 

93%

 

 

70%

± 0.50D

 

65%

 

 

 

0%

Contrast sensitivity measured using the Pelli-Robson chart was significant reduced at 12 months post-PRK

 

 

 

Results in chronological order for myopic LASIK

Authors

Number of eyes

Follow up period

Predictability

6/12

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

± 1.00D

Loss of corrected visual acuity

Comments

(Montes et al., 1999)

Pre-op MSE

-1.5 to -6.0D

168 eyes

 

6 months

 

100%

 

81%

± 0.50 ± 1D

94% 100%

1.2% lost 1 line of BCVA (decentred ablation)

(Siganos et al., 1999)

-5 to –10D

 

-10 to –16D

 

>-16D

 

12 months

84%

 

72%

 

43%

(Balazsi et al., 2001)

236 eyes

-0.5 to –7.0D

astig<2.5DC

 

6 months

 

95%

 

82%

± 0.50 ± 1.0

73% 91%

0% lost 2 lines

11% lost 1 line

 

Refraction stable by 1 month

(Yang et al., 2001)

Myopia (-8D)

69 eyes

 

Myopia astig (9.7D) 74 eyes

 

6 months

 

94%

 

93%

 

-

 

-

 

88%

 

85%

(90% ± 1DC)

 

-

 

-

Results for myopic LASEK

Authors

Number of eyes

Follow up period

Predictability

6/12

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

± 1.00D

Loss of corrected visual acuity

Comments

Claringbold 2002

222 eyes

-1.25D to –11.25D

4 days

2 weeks

12 months

84%

98%

-

-

-

6/4.5 19%

6/6 63%

6/7.5 18%

-

-

-

-

-

0%

 

LASIK results for hyperopia

Authors

Number of eyes

Follow up

months

Predictability

6/12

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

 

Loss of BCVA

Comments

(Goker et al., 1998)

54 eyes

 

+4.25 to +8.00

 

 

 

18 months

 

 

67%

 

 

15%

± 1D ± 0.5D

76% 39%

2 lines or more

 

6.8%

At 2 months, 44 % had glare. 9% by 9 months

(Lindstrom et al., 1999)

Hyperopia and astigmatism

Primary hyperopia

46 eyes (+2.5± 0.9D)

 

Secondary hyperopia

29 eyes

(+1.7± 0.8D)

 

6 months

 

79%

 

 

 

83%

 

-

 

 

 

-

± 1.00D

63%

 

 

 

74%

 

 

1 eye lost 2 lines of BCVA at

1 month

 

0%

Comparative studies between PRK and LASIK

Authors

Pre-operative mean spherical error

Follow up period

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

 

Loss of BCVA

Comments

 

(Wang et al., 1997)

 

-1.25D to

-6.00D

 

PRK (307 eyes)

 

LASIK (103 eyes)

 

12 months

 

 

 

72%

 

83%

± 1D ± 0.50D

 

83% 61%

89% 71%

2 or more lines

 

 

4%

 

1%

Contrast sensitivity normal by

 

6-12 months

 

3 months

 

Comparative studies between PRK and LASIK

Authors

Pre-operative mean spherical error

Follow up period

Predictability

6/6

Accuracy

 

Loss of BCVA / Stability

(El-Maghraby et al., 1999)

30 patients

PRK

(-4.8± 1.6D)

 

LASIK

(-4.7± 1.5D)

 

2 years

 

 

 

 

36%

 

 

61%

 

-

 

 

-

Within 1 line of pre-operative corrected vision at 3 days

45%

 

80%

(Pop and Payette, 2000)

PRK (107)

 

LASIK (107)

Range -1.0 to –9.50D

12 months

 

 

 

86%

 

83%

Within ± 0.50D

83%

 

78%

 

No eyes in either group lost 2 or more lines of acuity

(Stojanovic and Nitter, 2001)

Myopic astig. 4DC

PRK (87)

(-4.7± 2.8D)

 

LASIK (110)

(5.4± 2.5D)

 

 

12 months

 

 

77%

 

 

78%

Within ± 1D

97%

 

 

98%

Loss of 2 or more lines BCVA

0%

 

0%

Stable

3 months

 

 

1 month

 

(Tole et al., 2001)

Low myopia (-0.5 to

–3.0D)

PRK (155 eyes)

LASIK (97 eyes)

 

Moderate myopia (-3.1 to -6.0D)

PRK (153 eyes)

LASIK (217 eyes)

 

6 months

 

 

69%

89%

 

 

 

61%

77%

± 0.5D

 

87%

94%

 

 

 

78%

73%

Loss of 2 or more lines BCVA

0%

0%

 

 

 

1.8%

1.0%

Stable

 

3 months

1 month

 

 

 

3 months

1 month

© British Society for Refractive Surgery and Catharine Chisholm