Purpose: To compare, through a prospective, randomized and bilateral study, the effectiveness, safety and predic-tability of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and excimer laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for correction of low and moderate myopia. Methods: Seventeen patients (34 eyes) with preoperative refractional spherical equivalent (SE) ranging from -2.00 to -6.00 diopters (D) were enrolled in this study. Each patient received PRK in one eye and LASIK in the other. Both eyes were treated by the same surgeon during the same operative session with the excimer laser VISX 20/20B and the Chiron Automated Corneal Shaper microkeratome.Results: Preoperatively the mean SE was the same for both groups (-3.57 ± 1.17D and -3.71 ± 0.98D, for PRK and LASIK groups, respectively). Pain was reported only by the PRK cases (8 eyes: 47.1%). The average follow-up was 14 ± 5 months (6 to 24) for the PRK group, and 14 ± 6 months (3 to 24) for the LASIK group. The mean residual refractive error was similar after both procedures (-0.34 ± 0.45D and -0.29 ± 0.52D, for PRK and LASIK, respectively). At 1 day after surgery, 15 LASIK eyes (100%) and 2 PRK eyes (13.3%) had an uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) <FONT FACE=Symbol>³</FONT> 20/40 (n=15). At last follow-up, 15 eyes from the LASIK group (88.2%) and 11 from the PRK group (64.7%) reached a UCVA <FONT FACE=Symbol>³</FONT> 20/20 (n=17). The best spectacle corrected visual acuity remained unchanged in all cases. Conclusion: Both PRK and LASIK were found to be similarly safe, effective and predictable for the correction of low and moderate myopia. Patients preferred LASIK because of fast and painless visual recovery.
Myopia; Excimer laser; LASIK; Refractive surgery
