Outcome of Excimer Laser Phototherapeutic Keratectomy for Recurrent Corneal Erosions
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 546 consecutive eyes that underwent PTK with Wavelight Allegretto Laser between 2008 and 2014 for RCE unresponsive to conservative treatment. Efficacy, retreatment, refractive shift and complications were analyzed. 80 patients were contacted for telephone survey.
Results
A study of 534 eyes reported having no recurrences at one year. 12 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 managing recurrent corneal erosion syndrome non-responsive to conventional treatment, with a low retreatment rate of 2.2%