Authors: Pranav P Radkar, Mallikarjun MH, Rajshekhar, Kavitha V, Roopasree BV, Rashmi Shetty, Vamsi Rani.
Aims: To compare patient comfort in alcohol-assisted versus mechanical debridement in photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
Method: This study was performed on 44 eyes of 22 patients. All patients were above 18 years old and had no ocular and systemic problems apart from refractive error. Detailed evaluation was done for refractive surgery. The method of epithelial removal was randomly assigned. Patients were postoperatively evaluated for comfort in terms of pain, watering, foreign body sensation (FB) and photophobia with the help of questionnaire based Performa on day 0,5, 15 and 60.
Results: A total of 44 eyes of 22 patients were evaluated. Mean scores were higher in mechanical debridement eyes than alcohol-assisted eyes in day 0 and day 5. Pain and FB sensation had a significant difference on day 5 whereas watering and photophobia had a significant difference on day 0.
Conclusion: In terms of patient’s comfort (pain, FB sensation, watering and photophobia) alcohol-assisted removal seems to be a better option.
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