Band Keratopathy and Excimer Laser Phototherapeutic Keratectomy

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of the VISX 20:20 excimer laser for phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) for band keratopathy. DESIGN: A prospective assessment of subjective and objective parameters associated with both the treatment and the disease. SETTING: This study was undertaken in a specialist clinic receiving many tertiary referrals at a specialist teaching hospital in a capital city. PATIENTS: Twenty-one eyes of 21 patients attending the corneal clinic with band keratopathy elected to undergo PTK. RESULTS: Although restricted to a single diagnosis, the patients proved to be heterogeneous with regards to visual potential and pain. All patients with visual potential had a subjective improvement in vision after treatment, and objective improvement was documented in over half. A shift to hypermetropia, by a mean of 2.4 D was seen. Where pain was the indication for treatment, all patients had markedly reduced or no symptoms after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Excimer laser PTK with the VISX 20:20 laser is a highly effective, minimally invasive, out-patient treatment for band shaped keratopathy, which is likely to be the most common of the superficial corneal opacities and corneal surface disorders with pain which can be considered for PTK.