BMJ 1995;311:58 (1 July)

Letters

Treating myopia

Incisional keratotomy has a safer track record than photorefractive keratectomy

EDITOR,--David S Gartry's review restores some balance to the debate about photorefractive keratectomy, emphasising that such surgery must be predictable, effective, and safe with a low incidence of complications.1 The excimer laser was introduced to treat myopia in the expectation that photoreactive keratectomy would surpass incisional keratotomy (microsurgery: the safer American development of Russian radial keratotomy) in predictability. This has not happened since a greater degree of remodelling is required after photoreactive keratectomy.

It cannot be overemphasised that the fact that "15% of patients lose one or two lines of Snellen acuity, a significant loss," is unacceptable for surgery on the healthy cornea. Furthermore, a recent study found that a tenth of patients treated with an excimer laser declined treatment of the other eye because of disturbances of night vision in the treated eye.2

Of greater concern are the possible . . . [Full text of this article]


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Fortnightly Review: Treating myopia with the excimer laser: the present position
David S Gartry
BMJ 1995 310: 979-985. [Abstract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • FRYER, A. (2000). Inappropriate genetic testing of children. Arch. Dis. Child. 83: 283-285 [Full text]  
  • Laird, L., Dezateux, C., Anionwu, E. N (1996). Fortnightly Review: Neonatal screening for sickle cell disorders: what about the carrier infants?. BMJ 313: 407-411 [Abstract] [Full text]  
Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ