Photorefractive keratectomy in 621 myopic eyes.

xcimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) has been used for some years all over the world. It was introduced to Kuwait in October 1994; 621 eyes had PRK for myopia with and without astigmatic error between October 1994 and June 1996. Refractive correction was successfully achieved within ±0.50 diopters (D) in 80% of eyes. Uncorrected visual acuity of 0.8 (20/25) or better was achieved in 79% of eyes. Our complication rate with haze was: 3+ haze, 0.7%; 2+ haze, 1.7%; 1+ haze, 6.44%; trace haze, 14.18%; and no haze, 76.98%. Our experience with PRK shows that this procedure is effective and safe for treating myopia. Excimer laser photoablation offers great potential for the treatment of myopia, hyperopia, and astig-matism. In contrast to radial keratotomy, the central cornea is flattened directly during PRK by removal of a convex-concave lenticule of tissue from the outer surface of the central cornea. We discuss the clinical outcome of our experience with PRK in Kuwait. PATIENTS AND METHODS Photorefractive keratectomy was performed using the Nidek EC-5000 (Nidek, Tokyo, Japan) 193 nm, combined scanning and wide field excimer laser. All eyes had a transition zone beyond the ablation zone to reduce the incidence of regression and haze, and to minimize the patient's discomfort relating to halos and glare. 1 Most eyes (unless indicated) had an abla-tion zone of 5.5 mm, transition zone 7 mm, laser energy between 100 and 160 mJ with an ablation rate over the cornea of approximately 0.6 µm per scan. We treated 621 eyes of 330 patients with different groups for age, sex, and refractive errors, who all had PRK to correct myopia with or without astig-matism. Most patients were between 21 and 40 years of age. The youngest patient was 17 years old and the oldest was 56 years old. Females comprised 68% of the treated group. The preoperative spherical equivalent refractive error varied between-1.00 diopter (D) and greater than-13.00 D. Most patients were between-2.00 and-6.00 D. We generally did not plan for full correction of myopic error, especially for older patients and those with higher refractive errors. Immediately after PRK, a soft bandage contact lens 8 (Johnson & Johnson Acuvue) was used with a power from +1.25 to +1.75 D. The contact lenses were soaked in Novesin 0. Postoperative medications were a combination of the following drops: Tobradex (Tobramycin and Dexamethasone) 9 q.i.d. and Naclof 10 (Diclofenac Na 0.1%) six times …