Outcome of Excimer Laser Phototherapeutic Keratectomy for Recurrent Corneal Erosions
Narrative Responses:
Purpose
To report the efficacy, refractive change, and safety of excimer laser Phototherapeutic Keratectomy (PTK) for the treatment of Recurrent Corneal erosion (RCE) Syndrome.
Methods
Retrospective case series of 274 consecutive eyes that underwent PTK with Wavelight Allegretto Laser between 2008 and 2013 for RCE unresponsive to conservative treatment. Efficacy, retreatment, refractive shift and complications were analyzed. 80 patients were contacted for telephone survey.
Results
268 eyes reported had no recurrences at one year. Six cases (2.2%) required re-treatment for recurrence of erosion symptoms (1-7 years). The mean refractive shift was -0.18D with SD of +/-0.22. Complications included: delayed epithelialization, herpetic keratitis (1), fungal keratitis (1), and haze. Two patients loss two or more lines of best-corrected visual acuity; one of them recovered BSCVA after PTK for central corneal scar.
Conclusion
This large series demonstrates the efficacy and safety of Phototherapeutic Keratectomy in the treatment of recurrent corneal erosion syndrome, with a low retreatment rate of 2.2%.