Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratectomy versus Laser In Situ Keratomileusis in Myopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 3

Postoperative course and complications of LASIK versus LASEK in the meta-analysis.

	Number of studies	Crude rate, n/N (%)		Rate difference % (95% CI)	P for overall effect
		LASEK	LASIK
Low to moderate
After 6 months
Refractive SE ≤ 0.5 D	1 [5]	98/122	87/122	1.64 (0.91, 2.98)	0.10
UCVA ≥ 20/20	NA	—	—	—	—
Loss of ≥1 line of BCVA	2 [2, 5]	7/154	11/154	0.61 (0.23, 1.64)	0.33
Corneal haze	1 [2]	0/32	0/32	Not estimated	Not estimated
After 12 months
Refractive SE ≤ 0.5 D	2 [3, 7]	77/80	91/95	1.38 (0.28, 6.80)	0.69
UCVA ≥ 20/20	1 [7]	23/30	20/30	1.64 (0.53, 5.12)	0.39
Loss of ≥1 line of BCVA	2 [3, 7]	5/95	5/95	1.00 (0.26, 3.89)	1.00
Corneal haze	NA	—	—	—	—
Moderate to high
After 6 months
Refractive SE ≤ 0.5 D	1 [12]	101/146	227/324	0.96 (0.63, 1.47)	0.85
UCVA ≥ 20/20	1 [12]	92/146	224/324	0.76 (0.50, 1.15)	0.19
Loss of ≥1 line of BCVA	1 [12]	16/146	8/324	4.86 (2.03, 11.64)	0.0004
Corneal haze	2 [9, 12]	37/294	2/411	54.65 (12.96–230.52)	<0.00001
After 12 months
Refractive SE ≤ 0.5 D	1 [12]	101/146	227/324	0.96 (0.63, 1.47)	0.85
UCVA ≥ 20/20	1 [12]	88/146	232/324	0.60 (0.40, 0.91)	0.02
Loss of ≥1 line of BCVA	1 [12]	25/146	4/324	16.53 (5.64, 48.48)	<0.00001
Corneal haze	1 [12]	37/146	2/324	54.65 (12.96–230.52)	<0.00001
Flap complications	3 [1, 8, 12]	4/443	0/265	0.24 (0.01–4.54)	0.34

LASIK: laser in situ keratomileusis, LASEK: laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy, D: diopter, SE: spherical equivalent, UCVA: uncorrected visual acuity, BCVA: best-corrected visual acuity, and NA: not available.