ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: In this study we evaluated the changes in the corneal endothelial cells before and after the operation among myopes in the M-LASEK group, on whom 0.02% mitomycin C (MMC) was used and in the LASEK group, on whom MMC was not used. METHODS: The corneal endothelial cell analysis was performed in 104 eyes of 57 subjects in the LASEK group and in 86 eyes of 48 subjects in the M-LASEK group before the operation, and 3 months and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the corneal endothelial cell density (CD), the cell area coefficient of variance (CV), and hexagonal cell rate (6A) between the 2 groups before the operation, and 3 months and 12 months postoperatively (p > 0.05). In the LASEK group, there were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in CD when the numerical values before the operation and 3 months and 12 months after the operation were compared, but there were statistically significant differences in CV and 6A when comparing before the operation and 12 months postoperatively (p = 0.001, p = 0.034, respectively). In the M-LASEK group, there was a 2.8% statistically significant decrease (p = 0.004) in CD when the numerical values before the operation and 3 months after the operation were compared, but there were no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) when the numerical values before the operation and 12 months after the operation were compared. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in CV and 6A when the numerical values before the operation and 3 months and 12 months after the operation were compared. CONCLUSIONS: M-LASEK, contrary to LASEK, showed statistically significant differences in CD in short-term results such as 3 months postoperatively, but in long-term observation such as 12 months postoperatively, both groups showed no statistically significant differences.