CORNEAL EPITHELIAL AND STROMAL CHANGES AFTER MYOPIC PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY

Abstract

Purpose: to evaluate the corneal epithelial and stromal Changes after myopic photorefractivekeratectomy (PRK) Patient and methods: The study was established in Sohag Refractive Center,Sohag, Egypt, from October 2017 till November 2018. It included 50 eyes of 28 patients with agerange from 20 to 40 years old who subjected to PRK for the correction of myopia or compoundmyopic astigmatism. AS-OCT (Avanti - Optovue Taiwan) and corneal topography using Sirius Scheimpflug Placido topography (CSO, Florence, Italy) were done for all eyes pre and post-myopicphotorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Results: The study was conducted on 50 eyes of 28 patients, 6were operated on uniocular. 24 eyes were for females (48 %) and 26 eyes were for males (52 %)with their mean age 28.12 ± 6.22. the study showed a generalized pattern of decreased epithelialthickness in the period of the 1st month after performing PRK with significant P value for repeatedmeasures over 6 months for all parts of the cornea except for the superior part which was notstatistically significant. As regards the stromal thickness, the study showed a generalized pattern ofdecrease of the stromal thickness among the 6 months period after performing PRK. Conclusion:Epithelial thickness showed a decrease of thickness mainly in the central part except the superiorpart which was relatively the thickest. As regards the stromal thickness, all corneal showed significant change of stromal thickness after 1 month of PRK except the central part