Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT00348049

Efficacy of LASIK Versus PRK in Asians With Mild and Moderate Myopia

Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) are currently the 2 main refractive surgeries to correct myopia which are being performed worldwide, with more patients preferring LASIK to PRK because of better comfort and faster rehabilitation. However, in post-LASIK patients, there is a low risk of flap dislodgement. This risk increases with certain occupations which have a higher risk of trauma. Hence, there may be a role for PRK for people which such occupations, e.g. soldiers, parachutists, sportsman.

There are several non-randomised studies which show that PRK is as efficacious, predictable and safe as LASIK for low to moderate myopes. But there have been only a few randomized controlled studies to compare the efficacy and safety of the 2 treatment modalities and all studies comparing LASIK and PRK suffer from a high dropout rate during the follow-up period. We compared the efficacy, predictability, stability and safety of LASIK versus PRK over a one year duration with almost 100% attendance during all follow-up visits.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Myopia Eye Diseases Refractive Errors

Age range

21 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Singapore Eye Research Institute

Singapore, 168751

About this study

This study is a prospective, randomized, clinical trial comparing the efficacy, predictability, stability and safety of LASIK versus PRK in a volunteer group of myopic military servicemen recruited from the Singapore Armed Forces. 132 subjects who were eligible for the study were randomized to undergo either LASIK or PRK in both eyes in a 2:1 ratio. 45 subjects (90 eyes) underwent PRK and 87 subjects (174 eyes) underwent LASIK.

An additional 59 subject underwent a non-randomised arm of the study and underwent PRK.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male and female subjects were eligible for the study if they were 18 years old or older and had given informed consent; had stable myopia ranging from -2.00 to -5.00D of spherical equivalent myopia, but less than 2.00D of refractive astigmatism as determined by manifest refraction for at least 6 months; a best corrected visual acuity of at least 20/20 and a stable keratometry after not wearing soft contact lenses for at least 2 weeks and hard lenses for at least 3 weeks. Study subjects were required to have a minimum cornea thickness of at least 460um as measured by Orbscan pachymetry.

Exclusion criteria

  • Subjects were excluded if they had corneal or anterior segment pathology, or myopic peripheral retinal degeneration or myopic macular degeneration; clinical signs of progressive or unstable myopia or keratoconus or were keratoconus suspects; were one-eyed patients; had undergone previous ocular surgery; had a history of herpes zoster ophthalmicus or herpes simplex keratitis; had a history of steroid-responsive rise in intraocular pressure or had a preoperative intraocular pressure of more than 21 mmHg in either eye; had diabetes mellitus, auto-immune disease, severe dry eye, connective tissue disease or significant atopy; on chronic systemic corticosteroid or immunosuppressive therapy; had a cornea thickness which would have resulted in less than 250 microns of remaining posterior corneal thickness below the flap postoperatively or had a central corneal endothelial cell count of less than 1500 cells/mm2 in either eye

Treatment and study plan

Laser in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

Procedure

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

Procedure

Primary outcomes

  1. Comparing the efficacy, predictability, stability and safety of LASIK versus PRK

Secondary outcomes

  1. Comparing wavefront aberrometry of LASIK vs PRK

  2. Comparing patient satisfaction of LASIK vs PRK

  3. Comparing effects of LASIK vs PRK in terms of post-surgery performance in the military setting

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Singapore National Eye Centre

Other Gov

Collaborators

  • Defence Medical Environmental Research Institute
  • Singapore Armed Forces

Registry information

Official study title

A Prospective, Randomized Trial Evaluating the Operational Efficacy of LASIK vs. PRK for the Correction of Low and Moderate Myopia in the Singapore Armed Forces

Important dates

Study start
2002
Study completion
2005
First posted
Jul 4, 2006
Registry last updated
Oct 24, 2006

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.