Published in:
01-07-2020 | Refractive Errors | Clinical Investigation
Myopia progression over a 4-year period after laser-assisted refractive surgery in patients in their 20s and 30s
Published in: Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology | Issue 4/2020
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Purpose
To investigate the increase in refractive error (RE) and axial length (AL) in myopia patients in their 20s and 30s after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) or epipolis-LASIK (epi-LASIK).
Study design
Retrospective cohort study.
Methods
This retrospective study involved 280 eyes of 140 myopia patients who underwent LASIK or epi-LASIK at the Baptist Eye Institute, Kyoto, Japan and who were followed for more than 5 years postoperatively. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to age: group A (age range, 20–29 years) and group B (age range, 30–39 years). In all patients, the RE and AL were measured at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years postoperatively, and the 2 groups were compared in terms of each surgical method.
Results
The patients’ mean age at surgery was 30.6 ± 4.9 years. No significant difference was found between the 2 groups in terms of the preoperative mean spherical equivalent (SE) or AL. In the LASIK group, the mean changes in SE during the 4 years of study in groups A and B were + 0.054 ± 0.256 D and + 0.052 ± 0.327 D, respectively (P = .93, NS), and the postoperative increases in AL were 0.059 ± 0.134 mm and 0.027 ± 0.133 mm, respectively (P = .08, NS). In the epi-LASIK group, the mean change in SE during the 4 years of study in groups A and B were −0.438 ± 0.207 D and −0.259 ± 0.454 D, respectively (P = .41, NS), and the postoperative increases in AL were 0.124 ± 0.141 mm and 0.094 ± 0.166 mm, respectively (P = .46, NS).
Conclusion
Our findings showed no significant difference in myopia progression in patients in their 20s and 30s during a 4-year period after either LASIK or epi-LASIK.