Can Excimer Phototherapeutic Keratectomy Using Low-Dose Mitomycin C Successfully Treat Corneal Opacities Induced by Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis?

January 22, 2011

Dr. Ari Weitzner

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) rarely can cause permanent visually significant opacities (they usually disappear in weeks or months).

Reported in the American Journal of Ophthalmology is a study intended to assess visual results and compare methods of measuring central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal opacity thickness (COT) in patients with corneal opacities induced by epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) and treated with phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) using low-dose mitomycin C (MMC).

Researchers had great success in improving visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and photophobia using PTK with low dose MMC. A small hyperopic shift was found- about 1.5 diopters.

Read the full abstract.

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