Excimer Laser Phototherapeutic Keratectomy for Anterior Corneal Pathology

The argon-fluoride 193 nm excimer laser is currently under investigation in the United States for both refractive and therapeutic indications. We report the results of phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) on 20 eyes of 19 patients. All patients had corneal pathology in the anterior one-third of the cornea. Mean follow-up was 7.8 months. While results are difficult to quantify because of varied indications, visual acuity improved in nine of 20 eyes (45%), remained unchanged in 10 eyes (50%), and worsened in one eye (5%). We judged 15 eyes (75%) to be functionally improved and one eye (5%) to be functionally worse. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of excimer laser PTK for a wide variety of anterior corneal conditions. With continued improvement in patient selection and refinements in hardware, software, and surgical technique, PTK holds promise as an attractive alternative to more invasive and aggressive surgery.