Assessment of Corneal Haze After PRK and the Effect of Sutureless Amniotic Membrane Graft by Corneal Densitometry.

PURPOSE

To assess whether densitometry analysis appropriately monitors the development of haze in myopic patients after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) when compared to subjective slit-lamp haze grade examinations, and whether sutureless cryo-preserved amniotic membrane reduced postoperative haze development when compared to the standard bandage contact lens.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort at the Center for Refractive Surgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data was performed. In the prospective study, participants underwent PRK for myopia. Postoperatively, a standard bandage contact lens was applied to the dominant eye and a sutureless cryo-preserved amniotic membrane graft to the nondominant eye. Participants were evaluated at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively for haze formation and corneal densitometry using slit-lamp biomicroscopy and Scheimpflug imaging, respectively.

RESULTS

Densitometry measurements at 6 months postoperatively were positively and significantly associated with the presence or absence of haze as assessed by slit-lamp examination in 39 patients (78 eyes; age range: 21 to 44 years). Eyes with increased densitometry measurements had 2.3 to 3.4 times the odds (P ⩽ .014) of having clinical haze on slit-lamp examination. Eyes with the amniotic membrane graft showed a positive correlation with increased corneal densitometry throughout most layers of the cornea.

CONCLUSIONS

Densitometry analysis appears to be a useful tool to supplement slit-lamp examination in monitoring haze development after PRK. The amniotic membrane failed to show a reduction in corneal densitometry in myopic eyes after PRK. [J Refract Surg. 2020;36(5):293-299.].