One-Year Visual and Refractive Outcomes following LASIK for Myopia and Myopic Astigmatism with MEL 90 versus Schwind Amaris 750S Excimer Laser: A Comparative Study

PURPOSE: To compare clinical outcomes following LASIK for myopia performed with MEL 90 vs. Schwind Amaris 750S excimer laser. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively for patients who underwent Femto-LASIK, using the MEL 90 and Schwind Amaris 750S excimer laser for correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism within the range of −1.00 to −10.00 D SE from January 2013 till June 2018. Outcomes were analysed at 12 months for safety, efficacy, enhancement rate, and long-term complications. RESULTS: A total of 328 eyes of 328 patients were analysed. One hundred and sixty-three eyes were treated with Schwind Amaris and the remaining 165 eyes with the MEL 90 laser. Twelve months postoperatively, the mean UDVA, CDVA, residual SE, and cylinder in the Amaris group were −0.10 ± 0.09 logMAR, −0.14 ± 0.06 logMAR, −0.21 ± 0.22 D, −0.13 ± 0.18 D versus −0.05 ± 0.07 logMAR, −0.09 ± 0.08 logMAR, −0.23 ± 0.23 D, and −0.14 ± 0.21 D for the MEL 90 group (p values >0.05). For the Amaris group, safety and efficacy indices were 1.12 and 1.02, whereas for the MEL 90 group, these indices were 1.08 and 1.00, respectively. No eye in either group had any postop flap-related complications, infectious keratitis, diffuse lamellar keratitis, or keratectasia. Two eyes in the Amaris and 4 eyes in MEL 90 group required enhancement for the progression of myopia. CONCLUSION: At 12 months, both Schwind Amaris 750S and MEL 90 lasers demonstrated comparable clinical outcomes for myopic LASIK in a single surgeon setting.