Transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy for post-traumatic recurrent corneal erosions

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy (transepithelial PTK) for treatment of posttraumatic recurrent corneal erosions. METHODS: Twenty-four eyes of 22 patients with posttraumatic recurrent corneal erosions who were treated with transepithelial PTK from April 2018 to July 2020 were included in this retrospective study. The rates of recurrent erosions and complications were evaluated during the follow-up after surgery. Visual acuity and refraction were recorded preoperatively and 1 year after surgery. Total corneal astigmatism, total corneal irregular astigmatism, and total corneal spherical aberrations were recorded using corneal tomography preoperatively and 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: Mean postoperative follow-up was 13 months (range: 12–32 months). None of the patients suffered from any complications or further erosions. Uncorrected distance visual acuity, best-corrected distance visual acuity, spherical equivalent, and cylinder remained stable at 1-year postoperatively compared with the baseline (P = 0.214, P = 0.461, P = 0.084, and P = 0.879, respectively). Moreover, there was no significant difference in total corneal astigmatism, total corneal irregular astigmatism, and total corneal spherical aberrations between baseline and 1-year postoperative visit (P = 0.938, P = 0.136, and P = 0.981, respectively) CONCLUSION: Transepithelial PTK was an effective treatment for patients with posttraumatic recurrent corneal erosions.