Purpose: To assess the effects of LASIK with the 15-kHz IntraLase femtosecond laser on corneal endothelium.
Methods: In a prospective, single-center clinical trial, 138 patients (mean age: 32.0 ± 7.1 years [range: 21 to 42 years]) underwent femtosecond LASIK for the correction of myopia -0.75 to -9.00 diopters (D) and cylinder up to 3.25 D. Patients were divided into two groups: contact lens group (n=76) and non-contact lens group (n=62). Pre- and 12-month postoperative specular microscopy of the central corneal endothelium was performed. The integrity of the central endothelium was assessed in terms of endothelial cell density and percentage of hexagonality.
Results: In the contact lens group, mean endothelial cell density improved significantly from 3401 ± 292 cells/mm(2) to 3587 ± 262 cells/mm(2) (P<.001) with a mean increase of 5.5%. The percentage of hexagonal cells was statistically significantly higher after surgery (32.5 ± 4.0%) compared with preoperative data (31.0 ± 5.1%) (P=.035). No statistically significant differences were noted regarding mean endothelial cell density (P=.126) or hexagonality (P=.56) before and 1 year after femtosecond LASIK in the non-contact lens group.
Conclusions: Femtosecond LASIK to correct myopia was safe for the corneal endothelium. Improvement in mean endothelial cell density and percentage of hexagonality was observed in the contact lens group.
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