[Dry eye following keratorefractive surgery]

ABSTRACT

To compare tear secretion values following LASIK [laser in situ keratomileusis] and photorefractive keratectomy [PRK]. Patients referred to Aban Eye Clinic [Isfahan, Iran] for refractive surgery were randomly assigned to LASIK or PRK. Exclusion criteria were contraindications for refractive surgery, usage of topical ocular drugs, dry eye and reoperation. Schirmer test was performed pre- and 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively. The study included 176 eyes of 88 patients [30 male and 58 female] with mean age of 24.7 +/- 3.5 [range 19-34] years. Each group included 44 patients without any statistically significant difference regarding age, sex, mean spherical equivalent and corneal thickness. Mean values of Schirmer test were 13.5 +/- 5.3 mm in the PRK group and 14.5 +/- 7.1 mm in the LASIK group [P=0.08] preoperatively which reached 11.7 +/- 4.2, 12 +/- 4.1 and 12.7 +/- 5 mm in the PRK group and 13.5 +/- 3.6, 14.3 +/- 5 and 14.2 +/- 5.1 mm in the LASIK group at 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively, respectively [P=0.07, P=0.09 and P=0.17, respectively]. There were 4 cases [4.5%] of dry eye 6 months postoperatively in the LASIK group vs nill in the PRK group [P= 0.04]. Tear secretion decreases following both PRK and LASIK, however it seems to be more severe after LASIK