The changes in epithelial thickness under confocal microscopy in early stage after LASIK

Objective To assess the changes in epithelial thickness of the central cornea after LASIK for myopic patients at different refractive conditions by in vivo confocal microscopy.Methods This study comprised 24 patients(48 eyes)undertook LASIK in Tianjin Medical University Eye Center were examined before surgery and at days 1、3、7、10、30、60 and 90 days after surgery with in vivo confocal microscopy,computer optometry.Results Epithelial thickness before LASIK was 51.16±μm(mean±standard deviation),and increased 10.4% by 1 month after LASIK.The increase of the epithelial thickness showed correlation with spherical equivalent.Refractive changes at 3 months after surgery showed positive correlation with epithelial thickness.Conclusions The epithelium remodeled after LASIK.The increase of the epithelial thickness showed correlation with spherical equivalent.