Purpose: To evaluate the distribution of corneal epithelial thickness (CET) following refractive surgery.
Methods: T his study involved 269 eyes of 269 patients who underwent CET examination at the Baptist Eye Clinic, Kyoto, Japan between April 2014 and February 2015. Screening of corneal topography was performed for analyzing anterior ocular segment topography before refractive surgery, following which the patients were divided into the following two groups: (1) non-deformation group without topographical anomalies (247 eyes of 247 patients) and (2) deformation group with topographical anomalies (22 eyes of 22 patients). In the non-deformation group, CET distribution was compared between eyes with no history of ocular surgery and those that underwent refractive surgeries such as laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), epipolis-LASIK (Epi-LASIK), and phakic intraocular lens (phakic IOL) implantation. In the deformation group, CET distribution was compared between eyes with no history of ocular surgery and those that underwent refractive surgeries such as intrastromal corneal ring segments (ICRS) implantation, corneal crosslinking, and phakic IOL implantation.
Results: In the non-deformation group, CET following LASIK and Epi-LASIK was significantly thick with a diameter of 5.0 mm. In the deformation group, CET following ICRS was thick in the inferior area.
Conclusions: Our findings show that CET increases following LASIK and Epi-LASIK and that CET distribution may reflect changes in corneal topography that are caused by corneal refractive surgery.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 122: 114-120, 2018.