Influence of Refraction on Tonometric Readings After Photorefractive Keratectomy and Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis

PURPOSE To determine the decrease of Goldmann tonometry after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) according to refraction prior to surgery. METHODS Prospective simultaneous comparative case series of 53 myopic eyes (53 patients) that underwent PRK and 50 (50 patients) that underwent LASIK using the Summit Excimed SVS plus (Summit Technology, Inc., Walthan, MA, U.S.A.). PRK and LASIK were subdivided by refractive error into two subgroups of more than or less than -5 diopters (D). Central tonometric readings were taken prior to surgery and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS In LASIK and PRK subgroups of more than -5 D, 85.7% (24) and 69.6% (24), r…