A prospective study of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy was performed with the aim of correcting a range of myopic errors between -1.00 and -10.00 dioptres. Corneal healing was monitored through the first post-operative year by serial assessments of refraction, contrast sensitivity, corneal haze, pachymetry and keratometry. Eighty-one patients were recruited for the study. At 12 months 81% were within +/- 1.00 dioptre of desired emmetropia and with unaided vision of 6/12. Contrast sensitivity was found by Pelli-Robson assessment to be reduced throughout the 12 months and regression analysis predicted recovery by 2 years. At 12 months, however, only 15% of patients were found to have lost a single line of best corrected Snellen acuity. Predictability of results was found to be greatest for initial errors less than -4.00 dioptres. No serious complications were observed during the follow-up period, but refraction had not stabilised in all cases and patients remain under review.