Abstract
Purpose: To investigate newly designed, elliptical ELSA (excimer laser subepithelial ablation) instruments for the treatment of astigmatism. Setting. University Eye Clinic Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany, and the Rayne Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Methods: The new ELSA instrument set consists of an elliptical microtrephine (11.0 mm X 8.0 ...
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate newly designed, elliptical ELSA (excimer laser subepithelial ablation) instruments for the treatment of astigmatism. Setting. University Eye Clinic Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany, and the Rayne Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Methods: The new ELSA instrument set consists of an elliptical microtrephine (11.0 mm X 8.0 mm) with a 70 muM calibrated blade and an elliptical alcohol cone (11.5 mm X 8.5 mm). With this instrument set, ELSA (the laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy [LASEK] described by Camellin) was performed in 34 astigmatic eyes. The cylindrical correction was between 1.00 diopters (D) and 3.50 D and the spherical correction, between -0.75 D and -8.75 D. In all eyes, the follow-up was 6 months. The postoperative refractive outcome was analyzed using Alpins vector analysis. Results: Excimer laser subepithelial ablation was performed without intraoperative complications in all eyes. At 6 months, the mean spherical correction was -0.04 D +/- 0.27 (SD) (range +0.75 to -0.75 D) and the mean cylindrical correction, 0.27 +/- 0.23 D (range 0 to 0.75 D). The mean index of success was 0.18 +/- 0.15. Conclusions: With the elliptical instruments, ELSA was an effective and safe surgical procedure for astigmatism. (C) 2003 ASCRS and ESCRS.
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