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To compare changes in the corneal wavefront aberrations after photorefractive keratectomy and laser in situ keratomileusis.

In a prospective randomized study, 22 patients with bilateral myopia received photorefractive keratectomy on one eye and laser in situ keratomileusis on the other eye. The procedure assigned to each eye and the sequence of surgery for each patient were randomized. Corneal topography measurements were performed preoperatively, 2 and 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. The data were used to calculate the wavefront aberrations of the cornea for both small (3-mm) and large (7-mm) pupils.

Both photorefractive keratectomy and laser in situ keratomileusis significantly increased the total wavefront aberrations for 3- and 7-mm pupils, and values did not return to the preoperative level throughout the 12-month follow-up period. For a 3-mm pupil …