Change of Corneal Thickness after LASIK and Relationship be tween Corneal Thickness and Preoperative Factors

ABSTRACT

We analysed the relationship between preoperative factors and changes of corneal thickness after LASIK.Between January 1997 and October 1998, 124 eyes underwent LASIK procedure using VISX STAR at Kangnam's St. Mary's hospital.In group 1, 39 eyes had corneal thickness 50 micrometer or more after preoperative corneal thickenss was substracted with postoperative thickness.As control group, 33 eyes had the difference of corneal thickness 0 -5 0 micrometer or less.The each difference was calculated at 1 wk, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year postoperatively.We evaluated the preoperative factors, such as corneal thickness, spherical equivalent, corneal keratometer.The attempted correction for refractive errors was determined by cycloplegic refraction.In group 1, the difference in corneal thickness was 77 +/-2.5 micrometer at 1 week.58 +/-1.4 micrometer at 2 months, 57 +/-1.2 micrometer at 6 months and 58 +/-1.4 micrometer at 1year postoperatively. These results statistically greater than those of control group.And the more spherical equivalent, the thinner corneal thickness, the more difference in corneal thickness was, which was statistically signifi-cant comparing with group 2 (P<0.05).But, preoperative keratometry and the difference in corneal thickness was not significant between two groups (P=0.64).