Effect of Bandage Contact Lens Exchange on Pain and Healing After Photorefractive Keratectomy—A Randomized Control Trial

Objective: To evaluate the corneal re-epithelialization and patient-perceived pain after bandage contact lens (BCL) exchange on day one, after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Methods: A randomized controlled trial, of all patients who underwent bilateral transepithelial-PRK (trans-PRK) or bilateral alcohol debridement and PRK (A-PRK), between March and October 2019. One eye of each patient was randomly assigned to BCL exchange on the first postoperative day (exchange group) and the BCL was not exchanged in the fellow eye (control group). Patients were evaluated daily until healing was complete. At each visit, the corneal epithelial defect was measured, and a questionnaire was used to assess pain, photophobia, and excessive tearing. P <0.05 was statistically significant. Results: The study sample was comprised of 56 patients (mean age 27.2±5.7 years). Trans-PRK was performed in 20 (34.5%) and A-PRK in 36 (64.3%) patients. At day 3, 40 (71.4%) eyes of the exchange group healed completely compared with 38 (67.9%) eyes of the control group ( P =0.5). At day-1 follow-up, the pain score was 1.87±1.4 in the exchange group and 2.29±1.3 in the control group ( P =0.009). The mean pain score was 1.58±1.4 among patients who underwent A-PRK and 2.35±1.2 among patients operated by trans-PRK ( P =0.04). Conclusion: The epithelial healing did not vary when BCL was exchanged one day after refractive surgery. However, postoperative pain score after PRK was lower at day 1, when the BCL was exchanged. Compared with A-PRK, trans-PRK group demonstrated a higher pain score in the early postoperative phase.