Excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy for treatment of recurrent corneal erosion.

Two patients with a history of frequent recurrent corneal erosion for whom standard medical therapy was determined ineffective had phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) with an excimer laser. Before treatment, one patient had four episodes in a six-month period; the other had ten to 20 recurrences with four serious episodes in a seven-month period. After PTK, neither patient had a recurrence after 18 months follow-up. Subjectively, both patients felt the treated area healed faster than previous abrasions. Vision, refraction, keratometry, and corneal thickness measurements appeared unaffected by the treatment.