@article{3122331,
    title = "Epi-Bowman Blunt Keratectomy Versus Diluted EtOH Epithelial Removal in Myopic Photorefractive Keratectomy: A Prospective Contralateral Eye Study",
    author = "Vingopoulos, F. and Kanellopoulos, A.J.",
    journal = "Cornea : The Journal of Cornea and External Disease",
    year = "2019",
    volume = "38",
    number = "5",
    pages = "612-616",
    publisher = "Lippincott Williams and Wilkins",
    issn = "0277-3740, 1536-4798",
    doi = "10.1097/ICO.0000000000001863",
    keywords = "alcohol;  chloramphenicol;  dexamethasone;  dispersadron c;  moxifloxacin;  proxymetacaine;  tropicamide, adult;  Article;  astigmatism;  clinical article;  controlled study;  cornea epithelium;  epi bowman blunt keratectomy;  epithelization;  female;  follow up;  human;  intermethod comparison;  keratectomy;  male;  myopia;  optical coherence tomography;  pachymetry;  pain intensity;  photorefractive keratectomy;  postoperative pain;  priority journal;  prospective study;  randomized controlled trial;  slit lamp microscopy;  visual analog scale;  adolescent;  Bowman membrane;  devices;  myopia;  photorefractive keratectomy;  physiology;  procedures;  visual acuity;  young adult, Adolescent;  Adult;  Astigmatism;  Bowman Membrane;  Female;  Humans;  Male;  Myopia;  Pain, Postoperative;  Photorefractive Keratectomy;  Prospective Studies;  Visual Acuity;  Young Adult",
    abstract = "Purpose: To compare the outcomes and complications of Epi-Bowman blunt keratectomy (EBK) using a blunt epikeratome (Epi-Clear, Orca Surgical, Israel), with alcohol delamination of the corneal epithelium during photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in contralateral eyes. Methods: This prospective, randomized contralateral eye study included 44 eyes of 22 patients undergoing PRK for bilateral myopia or myopic astigmatism. In each patient, epithelial delimitation was performed using an Epi-Clear epikeratome EBK (EBK group) on 1 eye and diluted ethanol (EtOH) on the fellow eye (EtOH group). Postoperative pain, epithelial healing, epithelial profile, and visual outcome were compared between the 2 groups. Results: The mean postoperative pain scores were 0.37 ± 0.25 for the EBK group and 0.82 ± 0.22 for the EtOH group (P = 0.043). The mean epithelial defect size at day 3 postoperatively was 1.61 ± 1.46 and 2.25 ± 1.69 mm2, respectively (P = 0.034). The postoperative 3-month remaining mean spherical equivalent was 0.04 ± 0.49 diopters for the EBK group and 0.21 ± 0.26 D for the EtOH group (P = 0.520). There was no significant difference in UCVA and BCVA between the groups. Conclusions: Our data suggest that this novel EBK device and technique may minimize postoperative pain, accelerate re-epithelialization, and offer earlier visual recovery, compared with EtOH when used for myopic PRK. Copyright © 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved."
}