Changes in the Cornea and Anterior Chamber After LASEK: Pentacam Findings

Park, Jin Hyoung; Kang, Ja Hun; Jin, Kyung Hyun

Abstract

PURPOSE: We evaluated changes in the cornea and anterior chamber after LASEK using Pentacam to search for signs of subclinical keratectasia occurrence.
METHODS
Seventy-one eyes of 36 patients who had received LASEK were enrolled in this study. All eyes were examined for asphericity of the anterior and posterior cornea (Q-value), anterior and posterior corneal displacement, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, angle, and volume using Pentacam before surgery and again one month after the operation.
RESULTS
The postoperative changes in the asphericity of the posterior cornea and posterior corneal displacement were not statistically significant(p=0.668, p=0.101). The anterior chamber depth, angle, and volume decreased by 0.088 mm, 0.983degrees, 7.21 mm3 after LASEK, respectively. (p=0.000) The postoperative changes in asphericity of the anterior cornea, anterior corneal displacement, and central corneal thickness were statistically significant(p=0.000).
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we compared changes in the anterior chamber and cornea after LASEK using Pentacam. Changes in the anterior cornea were significant; however, the posterior cornea did not change significantly. The anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber angle, and volume were decreased one month after the operation, although further long-term follow-ups will be necessary to verify these findings.