Changes in Corneal Sensitivity after Laser in-situ Keratom ileusis

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the changes of corneal sensitivity after LASIK, we measured corneal sensitivity threshold at 5 regions of cornea using Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer in 41 myopic eyes of 23 patients who underwent LASIK. Corneal sensitivities were tested in the Central, medial, superior, temporal and inferior region of cornea preoperatively and postoperatively. Central corneal sensitivity was reduced to 1.1+/-4.6% of preoperative sensation at 1 day postoperatively and gradually recovered showing 40.3+/-27.8% at 3 months postoperatively. The sensitivity of the central region was the lowest of all significantly and medial region was the highest(p0.05). There were no overall differences in the sensitivities of the superior, temporal and inferior regions(p>0.05) and their sensitivities were higher than that of central region and lower than that of medial region. The amount of preoperative myopia and the thickness of corneal flap showed no significant correlation with the decrease of postoperative corneal sensitivity(r0.05).