Transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy/photorefractive keratectomy with adjunctive mitomycin-C for complicated LASIK flaps

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy/photorefractive keratectomy (PTK/PRK) with prophylactic mitomycin-C for the treatment of refractive errors and maintenance of corneal clarity following flap complications in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Outpatient tertiary care center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Ten eyes of 10 patients with LASIK flap complications had transepithelial PTK/PRK for correction of ametropia. Mitomycin-C 0.02% was applied to the stroma for 2 minutes following laser ablation. Postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), refractions, and slitlamp examinations were obtained. Preoperatively, the mean UCVA was 20/400 (range 20/40 to counting fingers), the mean BSCVA was 20/28.5, and the spherical equivalent refractive errors ranged from +4.00 to -10.75 diopters (D). After the procedure, the mean UCVA was 20/28, the mean BSCVA was 20/21, and the spherical equivalent refractive errors ranged from +0.37 to -1.00 D. The mean follow-up ranged from 8 to 28 months. No patient experienced delayed reepithelialization, haze, or other signs of toxicity. Mitomycin-C can be a useful adjunctive therapy for the prevention of haze when applying surface excimer laser therapy to a cornea following LASIK flap complications.