Endothelial cells evaluation two years after photorefractive keratectomy.

To evaluate long-term corneal endothelium damages after myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) a morphometric analysis of corneal endothelial cells was performed in 41 patients before and at least 24 months after photorefractive keratectomy. These patients underwent a treatment ranging from -2.5 to -14 dpt with a mean of 8.9 +/- 2.8 dpt at the corneal apex, with an estimated corneal thinning ranging from 23 to 123 microns with a mean of 78 +/- 24.4 microns. Our results showed that the density of endothelial cells ranged from 2,334 to 3,554/mm2 with a mean of 2,819 +/- 351/mm2 before surgery, and from 2,051 to 3,461/mm2 with a mean of 2,774 +/- 330/mm2 after surgery without any significant changes (p = 0.16). The polymorphic index ranged from 58 to 84 with a mean of 77 +/- 5.7 before PRK and from 57 to 89 with mean of 77.7 +/- 7.2 after treatment without any significant changes (p = 0.61). In conclusion, we can state that there is no long-term corneal endothelial damage after PRK even in highly myopic eyes.