Broad Beam vs. Flying Spot Excimer Laser: Refractive and Videokeratographic Outcomes of Two Different Ablation Profiles After Photorefractive Keratectomy

ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To assess the refractive outcomes and videokeratographic patterns in photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) of two last-generation excimer lasers: broad beam and flying spot lasers. METHODS: Forty eyes were treated for a mean myopic correction of -5.59 ± 2.17 D with a Ladarvision excimer laser (Autonomous Technology Corp). We compared the refractive outcomes and the videokeratographic patterns with those of 40 eyes treated with the Summit Apex Plus laser (Summit Technology Ine) for a mean myopic correction of -5.60 ± 2.24 D. RESULTS: During the 6-month follow-up, we found no significant difference in uncorrected and spectacle-corrected visual acuity, haze grade, regularity index, or decentration. The eyes treated by Ladarvision showed a lower refractive error at 1 month (P - .04), a lower incidence of central islands at 1 (P = .003) and 3 months (P = .04), a wider mean effective ablation area at 1 (P = .0004), 3 (P = .0000009), and 6 months (P = .0000000004), a less steep ablation edge at 1 (P = .0026), 3 (P = .015), and 6 months (P = .011). CONCLUSIONS: The small beam excimer laser provides better videokeratographic outcomes, which lead to quicker refractive stability and better visual performance. [J Refract Surg 2001;17: 534-541]