Purpose: To compare the differences in the removal of bandage contact lenses (BCLs) at 4 and 7 days after transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK) in term of visual rehabilitation, eye discomfort, and postoperative complications.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with myopia undergoing TransPRK; in Group 1, the BCLs were removed on the 4th postoperative day, while in Group 2, the BCLs were removed on the 7th postoperative day. All patients underwent a 6-month follow-up, including slit-lamp examination and visual acuity assessment. Subjective evaluations of pain and eye discomfort were recorded after the BCLs removal.
Results: In total, 376 eyes of 191 patients in Group 1 and 346 eyes of 177 patients in Group 2 were enrolled. The two groups were matched for sex, age, preoperative corrected distance visual acuity, and tear film break-up time. Patients in Group 1 exhibited slightly lower levels of myopia, resulting in a shallower ablation depth and shorter ablation time than those in Group 2. No statistically significant differences in visual acuity recovery, haze severity, and incidence of infectious keratitis were observed within 6 months after surgery between the two groups. However, patients in Group 2 experienced significantly fewer discomfort symptoms (discharge, foreign body sensation, and blurred vision) after BCLs removal than patients in Group 1 and had fewer postoperative complications (recurrent corneal epithelial erosion).
Conclusion: Delayed removal of the BCLs one week after TransPRK effectively alleviated early discomfort symptoms and reduced the risk of recurrent corneal epithelial erosion without increasing the likelihood of infectious keratitis.
Keywords: Bandage contact lenses; Eye discomfort; Myopia; Transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy.
© 2023 The Authors.