To compare the postoperative efficacy, safety, and dry eye symptoms between transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and alcohol-assisted PRK in myopia and astigmatism.

200 eyes of 100 consecutive patients who underwent transepithelial PRK (tPRK) or alcohol assisted PRK (aaPRK) included in this study. For all eyes aspheric treatments were planned and ablations performed with the Schwind Amaris system. Refractive results, predictability, safety, and efficacy and measurement dry eye symptoms using OSDI questionnaire were evaluated during the 6-month follow-up. The main outcome measures were uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE) and dry eye symptoms. Paired t tests were applied for statistics

100% and 99% of eyes in t-PRK and aa-PRK groups achieved an uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 0.1 logMAR or better. 2 eyes in aa-PRK lost 1 or more lines of corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), all eyes in t-PRK had no changes or gained 1 line of CDVA; 96% of transepithelial PRK eyes and 94% of alcohol-assisted PRK eyes were within ±0.50 diopter (D) of the targeted refraction. The postoperative mean spherical equivalent was -0.01 D ±0.27 (SD) and -0.16 ± 0.28 D, respectively (p= 0.006). The mean postoperative OSDI scores were 15.08 ±8.05 for t- PRK, 15.58± 9.14 for aa-PRK, (P = .125).

both procedures are predictable, effective, and safe for correction of myopia and astigmatism. But significant differences were detected in both the visual outcomes and the refractive results of two groups. t-PRK group showed more favorable outcomes than other groups.