Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness after laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis and femtosecond LASIK: a prospective observational cohort study

Figures & data

Table 1 Participant baseline characteristics

Participant characteristic	LASEK group (n=50)	FS-LASIK group (n=64)	P-value
Age (years)	31.7±7.1	32.8±6.02	0.3
CCT (µm)	529.1±36.07	562.4±31.6	0.001
Spherical refractive error (diopters)	−3.99±1.82	−3.88±1.93	0.8
Cylindrical refractive error (diopters)	−0.69±0.7	−0.76±0.7	0.5

Notes: Baseline data (mean ± SD) for the LASEK and the FS-LASIK groups. Comparisons were made using the unpaired t-test.

Abbreviations: CCT, central corneal thickness; FS-LASIK, femtosecond-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis; LASEK, laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis.

Table 2 RNFL thickness results for the study groups

Peripapillary sector	LASEK (n=50)			FS-LASIK (n=64)
	RNFL, preoperative (µm) (mean ± SD)	RNFL, postoperative (µm) (mean ± SD)	P-value	RNFL, preoperative (µm) (mean ± SD)	RNFL, postoperative (µm) (mean ± SD)	P-value
Average	88.14±9.6	88.56±9.6	0.2	93.09±8.4	93.76±8.2	0.008
T-I	137.06±18.77	136.88±18.84	0.55	146.03±19.34	146.95±18.01	0.02
T	73.26±13.43	72.74±13.52	0.21	73.20±12.14	73.28±12.52	0.85
T-S	120.84±17.7	120.6±17.71	0.6	130.92±15.53	131.69±15.55	0.42

Notes: RNFL values measured with OCT before and after LASEK and FS-LASIK. Comparisons were made using the paired t-test.

Abbreviations: FS-LASIK, femtosecond-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis; LASEK, laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis; OCT, optical coherence tomography; RNFL, retinal nerve fiber layer; T, Temporal sector; T-I, Temporal-inferior sector; T-S, Temporal-superior sector.