Abstract
PURPOSE: A new eyeball fixation device during photorefractive surgery was designed and tested. The device fixates the eyeball by means of a suction ring, and is then fixated to the headrest of the patient's chair via clipper and metal frames. METHODS: Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) was performed on PMMA contact lenses placed over the patient's cornea (n=6) to evaluate smoothness of the ablated surface and on rabbit (n=24) and patient (n=30) corneas for evaluation of wound healing time. Decentration with fixation was examined using videokeratography after PRK. RESULTS: After fixation, only small amounts of corneal movement from the patient's pulsating heart were noted. The mean smoothness (root mean square) of the PMMA contact lens ablated surface was 0.43 ± 0.16 μm in non-fixated eyes and 0.26 ± 0.05 μm in fixated eyes. Mean epithelial healing rate was 47.93 ± 21.80 μm/hr in non-fixated rabbit eyes and 66.49 ± 20 μm/hr in fixated rabbit eyes. Mean epithelial healing time was 3.47 ± 1.11 days in nonfixated human eyes and 2.53 ± 0.51 days in fixated human eyes. Mean decentration after PRK was 0.30 ± 0.28 mm in fixated human eyes. CONCLUSION: Fixating the eyeball allows less movement of the eye and achieves a smoother ablation surface for more rapid epithelial healing after PRK.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 594-601 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Refractive Surgery |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 1999 Sept |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Surgery
- Ophthalmology