Comparison of postoperative pain in patients following photorefractive keratectomy versus advanced surface ablation

Abstract

Advanced surface ablation was associated with statistically significantly more postoperative pain than PRK on postoperative day 1. A greater percentage of patients reported more pain in the advanced surface ablation-treated eyes on day 3. Refractive surgeons should consider the postoperative pain associated with advanced surface ablation when deciding on the type of epithelial debridement for their patients.

Pain, wound healing and refractive comparison of mechanical and transepithelial debridement in photorefractive keratectomy for myopia: Results of 1 year follow-up

“…Torres et al [51] measured global subjective rating in the study of early postoperative pain following Epi-LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy. However, Blake et al [23] used 3 of these measurement methods in the comparison of postoperative pain in patients following photorefractive keratectomy versus advanced surface ablation. We also used 3 of these measurements in our study.…”

“…The questioning physician first explained to the patient that 0 represents no pain at all and 10 would be the worst pain imaginable. The physician then marked the responses given by the patient for the right and left eyes [23].…”

“…In PRK, refractive surgical ablation is performed on the corneal surface after epithelial debridement. Postoperative pain and the potentially higher grade of corneal haze after PRK limits its usefulness and acceptance [23]. Several techniques of epithelial debridement have been attempted with PRK surgery, including mechanical debridement, LASER transepithelial ablation, a rotating brush and alcohol debridement [23].…”

“…Postoperative pain and the potentially higher grade of corneal haze after PRK limits its usefulness and acceptance [23]. Several techniques of epithelial debridement have been attempted with PRK surgery, including mechanical debridement, LASER transepithelial ablation, a rotating brush and alcohol debridement [23]. Previous studies document that all of the epithelial debridement methods with PRK are effective procedures for the surgical correction of myopia [24][25][26].…”

Effect of repositioning or discarding the epithelial flap in laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy and epithelial laser in situ keratomileusis

“…This variant is sometimes called alcohol-assisted PRK or advanced surface ablation. 30 Epithelial laser in situ keratomileusis [31][32][33] is the latest refractive corneal ablation procedure and is similar to LASEK. A blunt blade in a dedicated epi-LASIK head of a LASIK microkeratome 34 creates epithelial flaps without the necessity of a preceding treatment with an alcohol solution.…”