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Jung and Chung: Corneal Endothelial Changes after Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratomileusis
Original Article

J Korean Ophthalmol Soc 2013;54(1):33-37.

Published online: 25 September 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2013.54.1.33

Corneal Endothelial Changes after Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratomileusis

Youn Hea Jung, MD, Sung Kun Chung, MD, PhD

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Address reprint requests to Sung Kun Chung, MD, PhD Department of Ophthalmology, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea #10 63-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 150-713, Korea Tel: 82-2-3779-1150, Fax: 82-2-761-6869, E-mail: eyedoc@catholic.ac.kr

Received 30 October 2012       Accepted 17 July 2012

Copyright © 2013 Korean Ophthalmological Society

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

In order to investigate the safety of laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK), corneal endothelial cells before and after the LASEK procedure were evaluated.

Methods

Thirty-six patients (72 eyes) who underwent LASEK between June 2010 and May 2011 were included in the present study. Parameters included corneal endothelial cell density (CD), coefficient of variation of the cell area (CV), and percentage of hexagonal cells (6A) which were all obtained by a specular microscope (Noncon ROBO sp 8000, Konan, Japan) before and 3, 6, and 12 months after LASEK.

Results

Preoperative CD was 2952 ± 352 cells/mm2, and postoperative CD did not significantly change at 3, 6, and 12 months. Preoperative CV and 6A and postoperative CV and 6A at 12 months were not significantly different. Furthermore, correlation between change in corneal endothelial cell and degree of myopia correction was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

LASEK appears to be a safe procedure for corneal endothelial cells over an extended period.

Keywords: Corneal Endothelium, LASEK, Specular Microscopy

References

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Figure 1.
Corneal endothelial changes after LASEK according to preoperative refraction. Paired t-test * p < 0.05. CD = endothelial cell density; CV = coefficient of variation of cell area; 6A = hexagonality. Low myopia ≤4 D; Moderate myopia >4 D and ≤6 D; High myopia >6 D.
jkos-54-33f1.tif
Table 1.
Characteristics of eyes undergoing LASEK
Parameter  
Age (yrs, mean ± SD) 28.2 ± 7.15
Sex (M/F) 14/22
Preoperative refraction SE (D, mean ± SD) –4.10 ± 1.80
Degree of refraction  
   Low myopia (eyes) 26 (36%)
   Moderate myopia (eyes) 30 (42%)
   High myopia (eyes) 16 (22%)
Pachymetry (μ m, mean ± SD) 549.7 ± 48.7

Low myopia ≤4D, Moderate myopia >4D and ≤6D, High myopia >6D.

SD = standard deviation; SE = spherical equivalent; D = diopters.

Table 2.
Characteristics of endothelial cells in patients undergoing LASEK (mean ± standard deviation)
  CD (cells/mm2) CV 6A (%)
Preoperative (n = 72) 2952 ± 352 41.1 ± 5.4 47.0 ± 8.9
Postoperative 3 mons (n = 62) 2890 ± 401 42.8 ± 6.1 46.4 ± 8.2
Postoperative 6 mons (n = 56) 2901 ± 378 45.9 ± 5.5* 46.7 ± 9.4
Postoperative 12 mons (n = 48) 2923 ± 367 43.7 ± 6.2 47.1 ± 9.5

CD = endothelial cell density; CV = coefficient of variation of cell area; 6A = hexagonality.

* Paired t-test p<0.05.

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