Comparison of laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy results: Long-term follow-up

Purpose

To compare the results of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) over a 4-year follow-up.

Setting

Miyata Eye Hospital, Miyazaki, Japan.

Methods

This comparative retrospective study comprised 22 eyes (22 patients) that had PRK and 18 eyes (18 patients) that had LASIK. To be included, the patient had to have completed a 4-year follow-up. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), percentage of eyes within ±0.5 diopter (D) of the targeted refraction, central corneal thickness, and the anterior and posterior corneal elevations were compared between the PRK and LASIK groups.

Results

The mean UCVA was significantly better in the LASIK group than in the PRK group at 6 months (P = .0043) and 1 year (P = .0044). At 2 years, there was no significant difference in the mean UCVA between the 2 groups. The mean BSCVA was significantly better in the LASIK group than in the PRK group at 6 months (P<.0001), 1 year (P<.0001), and 2 years (P = .0083). At 3 and 4 years, there was no significant difference in the mean BSCVA between the 2 groups. The percentage of eyes within ±0.5 D of the targeted refraction was not significantly different between groups at any time.

Conclusions

The superiority of LASIK over PRK in short-term efficacy was not retained 4 years after surgery. The main reasons were a myopic shift and a decline in UCVA at the last follow-up in the LASIK group.