Corneal Endothelial Status 12 to 55 Months after Excimer Laser Photorefractive Keratectomy

Endothelial Cells Evaluation Two Years after Photorefractive Keratectomy

“…Only few papers were published concerning the effects of PRK on the corneal endothelium [4][5][6][7][8][9], In a previous study [4] we found no significant changes in cell number and pleomorphic index in 19 eyes 2 months after PRK, counting 100 consecutive cells per eye. The treatment rang ed from -5 to -17 dpt at the corneal apex with a calculated ablation depth ranging from 50 to 250 pm.…”

“…Mardelli et al [9] reported no significant changes in cell number, polymegethism, pleomorphism, or figure coeffi cient index before and after PRK in a period ranging from 12 to 54 months in 35 eyes of 32 patients with a treatment rang ing from -1.5 to -8 dpt (mean =3.8). They also compared the treated eye with the fellow eye in another group of paCorncal Endothelium 2 Years after PRK tients and found no significant changes in cell number, pleomorphism, or figure coefficient index, with a slight im provement in polymegethism.…”

“…Moreover most of the patients who un dergo photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) are contact lens wearers, and as these individuals exhibit increased pleomorphism [3], their cell layer may be relatively unstable and more susceptible to stress. Several papers have been published [4][5][6][7][8][9] concerning the study of the corneal endo thelium after PRK. Only one [9] reports a long follow-up in eyes with low to moderate myopia.…”

“…Several papers have been published [4][5][6][7][8][9] concerning the study of the corneal endo thelium after PRK. Only one [9] reports a long follow-up in eyes with low to moderate myopia. For this reason we per formed a long-term study of the corneal endothelium after PRK in highly myopic eyes.…”

Short-term and long-term effects of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) on corneal endothelial cells

“…When comparing the preoperative and postoperative ECD, no significant endothelial cell loss was shown at neither 1 day nor 1 year, and the changes were almost negligible. There are numerous studies in which influences of excimer laser-based refractive surgery on corneal endothelial cell loss were tested [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26], and the annual rate of endothelial cell loss was within the range of physiological age-related endothelial cell loss [27,28]. Recently, endothelial cell loss in patients who underwent femtosecond-assisted refractive surgery was also reported.…”