RESUMO
This prospective study was done to investigate the correlation between central corneal thickness before excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy in myopic eyes and clinical factors including age, sex, left or right eye, myopic degree, and preoperative contact lens wearings, and also the relationship between the changes in postoperative central corneal thickness and age, sex, and myopic degrees. The average values of preoperative groups of less than -6.0D and over -6.0D were 519.78+/-29.87micrometer and 514.63+/-3 0.5 3 micrometerrespectively, showing much thinner value in high degree myopic eyes with statistical significance(p=0.02). Female patient's value was much thinner than male patient's value with statistical significance(p=0.016). The postoperative changes according to time process in central corneal thickness in 79 eyes which were followed up for more than six months were statistically significant(p=0.046). Among the changes in postoperative central corneal thickness, the recovery pace had no relations with age but female patient and over -6.0D in myopic degree showed faster recovery paces than male patient(p=0.035) and under -6.0D in myopic degree respectively during follow up period(p=0.001).