Comparison of Pain between Ethanol-assisted Mechanical and Conventional Debridement of Corneal Epithelium in PRK

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect on postoperative pain of the application of 20% ethanol before debridement of the corneal epithelium METHODS: During photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), performed on 44 eyes of 22 patients with mild to moderate myopia, 20% ethanol was applied on the eyes for 30 seconds just before debridement of the corneal epithelium. Meanwhile, conventional debridement of the epithelium was done on the fellow eyes. Patients were asked to evaluate their subjective postoperative pain after 3 hours, 1 day and 3 days. We measured epithelial healing time by the time of bandage contact lens removal. We also measured visual acuity and manifested refraction at 1 month after surgery. RESULTS: Significantly less postoperative pain was reported at 3 hours and 1 day after surgery in the eyes with ethanol applied. However, postoperative pain did not differ between the two groups at 3 days after surgery, nor did uncorrected visual acuity, manifested refraction at 1 month after surgery, or epithelial healing time. CONCLUSIONS: Application of 20% ethanol as pre-treatment in debridement of the corneal epithelium is beneficial in reducing postoperative pain in PRK.