Preoperative Keratometry Affecting Visual Outcome in Myopic LASIK.

Background: Multiple factors affect the visual outcome after myopic Laser in situ keratomileusis. However, the effect of preoperative keratometry still remains controversial. Aim: To assess the visual outcome in low, moderate and high myopia based on preoperative keratometry values. Setting & Design: A prospective, serial, comparative, interventional study conducted in Department of Ophthalmology, Dhiraj Hospital, Vadodara. Materials and methods: Our study included 170 eyes of 111 patients. Based on the preoperative spherical equivalent (SE), all eyes were divided into low (≤ -3 D), moderate (> -3 D to ≤ -6 D) and high (> -6 D) myopia and based on preoperative average keratometry (K) each group was further divided into flat ( 46 D) sub groups. Statistical Analysis: SPSS program (version 12.0) Results: At 6 months postoperatively changes in keratometric value K showed significant difference (P 0.05) in all three groups. UCVA of 20/20 at 6 months postoperative in low myopia group was 83.3% (flat K) and 92.6% (steep K), in moderate myopia group was 60.7% (flat K) and 79.3% (steep K), in high myopia group 44.3% (flat K) and 52.2% (steep K). Conclusion: Eyes with steeper corneas showed better visual outcomes in all three groups, though undercorrection was observed in steep subgroup of low myopia.