COMPARISON OF MORPHOLOGIC CHANGES AFTER KLEX AND FS. LASIK

To evaluate corneal morphological changes and their influence on visual outcome after KLEx and Fs-LASIK in myopic patients.

University Eye Hospital Svjetlost, Zagreb, Croatia

We evaluated 40 patients (80 eyes) underwent myopic correction. Patients were equally randomized to recieve KLEx or FS-LASIK, were 120 μm was set for cap and flap depth. Densitometry with CSO Osiris T, IVCM was performed and UDVA and CDVA were measured at 1 week, 1 and 3 months after the procedure for objective assesment of corneal opacity evaluation and subjective evaluation of corneal backscatter light intensity by reflective particles/activated keratocyte counting at 130 μm depth.

During the entire follow up there was an increase of opacity in aquired backlit images on Osiris T and higher number of counted reflective particles and activated keratocytes on IVCM after KLEx compared to Fs-LASIK. Although there was a change in both parameters postoperatively in both groups; the increase was higher in the KLEx group, where the difference was statistically significant at all postoperative visits (P < 0.02). Inversely, UDVA and CDVA were similar in both groups at each visit.

Both KLEx and FS-LASIK can effectively correct myopia, providing similar VA. The latter proves that higher amount of reflective particles and difference in anterior stromal opacity in the early postoperative period does not necessarily result in decreased vision after KLEx, but reflects a different healing response.