Corneal epithelium remodelling after Laser refractive surgery with perioperative intense pulsed light treatment.
Ronald Steven Ii Medalle, María C Martínez-Hergueta, Mario Cantó-Cerdán et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This randomized, controlled, triple-masked trial evaluated perioperative intense pulsed light (IPL) versus placebo in 61 patients undergoing femtosecond LASIK or keratorefractive lenticule extraction. Over six months, both groups had significant corneal epithelial thickening, mainly during the first postoperative month. IPL-treated eyes showed trends toward lower epithelial thickness and more gradual changes in epithelial refractive power, but between-group differences were not statistically significant. Epithelial wavefront values remained below 0.5 in both groups. The study found no significant effect of perioperative IPL on epithelial remodeling or refractive stability.
Key findings
- Both groups showed significant epithelial thickening, predominantly during the first postoperative month.
- Between-group differences in epithelial thickness and refractive-power changes were not statistically significant.
- Epithelial wavefront values remained <0.5 in both cohorts.
Why it matters
Corneal epithelial remodeling after refractive surgery may affect refractive stability. In this trial, perioperative IPL did not significantly change these outcomes, despite trends toward differences in epithelial adaptation. The findings help distinguish previously observed ocular-surface effects from demonstrated changes in corneal epithelial remodeling and indicate that any such benefit remains uncertain.
What to keep in mind
The trial included 61 patients and followed outcomes for six months; the authors note that larger studies with longer follow-up are warranted.