The Effect of Moxifloxacin and Gatifloxacin on Long-Term Visual Outcomes Following Photorefractive keratectomy
Photorefractive Keratectomy is otherwise known as PRK. It is a type of laser eye surgery. This treatment modality is for people who suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. It is similar to LASIK procedure. It likewise involves using an Excimer laser with the aid of digital microscope to reshape the cornea. The aim of the treatment is to minimize or eliminate the patient’s dependence on eyeglasses or contact lenses. However, unlike LASIK the eye surgeon does not use a microkeratome to make a flap. The PRK treatment is better suited for people with thin corneas or certain other corneal abnormalities where using a microkeratome might not be the best choice. Since PRK does not use a microkeratome, there is no risk of flap complications. In PRK to correct myopia or near sightedness, the steep cornea is made flatter by removing tissue from the center of the cornea. To correct hyperopia or far sightedness, the flat cornea is made steeper by removing tissue from the outer edges of the cornea. To correct astigmatism, the cornea is transformed into a more spherical shape. Before the procedure eye drops are used in order to get the best measurements. The shape of the surface of the eyes will be mapped using an instrument called a corneal topographer. Finally the thickness of the cornea will be measured using an instrument called a pachymeter.
The PRK treatment is best suited for people with moderate levels of myopia or hyperopia who have corneal abnormalities that make them not best suited for LASIK. However PRK may also be used for people with high prescription levels.The procedure is advantageous for thin corneas, for low to high levels of myopia or hyperopia, and for low to high levels of astigmatism.
The study aims to compare the effect of gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin on visual outcomes after photorefractive keratectomy. There were thirty-five people involved in the study. The thirty-five PRK patients were treated postoperatively with gatifloxacin in one eye and moxifloxacin in the other eye with the aid of digital microscopes. The article notes that the postoperative regimens were otherwise identical. In the initial phase of the study of a previous study, the authors evaluated epithelial healing. In this current study, which is the second phase, the authors of the investigation compared uncorrected visual acuity, best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), manifest spherical equivalent, and corneal haze at 6 months postoperatively for 32 patients using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test.
The results of the study noted the there was no statistically significant difference noted between eyes treated with gatifoxacin and moxifloxacin in terms of UCVA, BSCVA, MSE, or corneal haze at 6 months postoperatively. Two, or six percent, of the Vigamox or moxifloxacin treated eyes versus 0 or 0 percent in Zymar or gatifloxacin treated eyes lost one line of BSCVA from preoperative examination. The median UCVA and MSE were equivalent for both groups. The results of the study made the authors conclude that at 6 months after PRK, there was no significant difference in visual outcomes with either antibiotic. Read more on this subject
