Corneal topography and Scheimpflug imaging are the most widely used methods for patient evaluation, detection of ectatic disorders, and preparation for refractive surgery. However, there are many reports of eyes with ectasia following refractive surgery having normal corneal topography and no other risk factor.(1)
Corneal epithelial remodeling after refractive surgery differs according to the type of the procedure (PRK/LASIK / Femto-LASIK or Femto-SMILE), the type of refractive error corrected (Myopic or hyperopic), the optical zone diameter, and the ablation depth. In myopic correction, the central epithelium thickens, whereas, in the correction of a hypermetropic error, the central epithelium becomes thinner.(2)
Evaluation of corneal epithelial thickness mapping and remodeling after different refractive techniques is therefore important to distinguish between normal and abnormal changes and screen for early detection of complications.
Aim of the work:
The aim of this work was to evaluate the changes in corneal epithelial mapping before and after Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and Femto-second laser-assisted small incision lenticule extraction (Femto-SMILE) for correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism.