Refractive Outcomes of Combined LASEK and Accelerated Corneal Crosslinking for Moderate Myopia

Abstract

Purpose: We compared 1 year refractive outcomes between combined laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and accelerated collagen cross linking (CXL LASEK), and LASEK alone.Methods: The study was conducted as a retrospective analysis including 166 eyes of 83 moderate myopia patients who underwent CXL LASEK, and 146 eyes of 73 moderate myopia patients underwent LASEK alone. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), spherical equivalent (SE), keratometry were evaluated preoperatively, and at 1, 3, and 6 months, and 1 year after surgery.Results: There was significant difference of preoperative SE (<i>p</i> < 0.05), UDVA (<i>p</i> < 0.05). There was no significant difference of preoperative flat K (<i>p</i> = 0.10) and steep K (<i>p</i> = 0.18) between the two groups. At the 1-year follow-up, the SE was ± 0.25 diopter (D) in 80.5% of the CXL LASEK patients and 59.7% of the LASEK patients (<i>p</i> < 0.05). There was significant difference between the SE (<i>p</i> < 0.05), flat K (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and steep K (<i>p</i> = 0.05) rates over time between the two groups. After removing the preoperative results, there was no significant difference between the SE (<i>p</i> = 0.45) over time between the two groups.Conclusions: The postoperative refractive stability of the CXL LASEK group was confirmed.