This study compared the surgical procedures LASEK and Epi-LASIK to evaluate differences in visual acuity, pain, blurriness, and dryness. 10 patients underwent simultaneous bilateral surgery, with each eye receiving a different procedure. Patients reported pain, blurriness, and dryness after surgery. Epi-LASIK showed significantly less pain on days 1-2 and 6-7, and less dryness on day 1. Visual acuity did not differ between procedures. While Epi-LASIK resulted in faster recovery for pain, LASEK pain decreased more gradually over time. The study is still enrolling patients.

1. Evaluation of Efficacy of LASEK Refractive Surgical Procedure vs. Epi-Lasik in terms of patient comfort and speed of recovery Authors: Roshan Givergis, BA Xiao Jing Wang, BA Peyman Younesi, MD Emil W. Chynn, MD *none of the authors of this study have any financial interests in the content of this poster

5. Histology of Epi-LASIK patients Intact Basement Membrane Arrows (red) indicate the presence of intact basement membrane within the epithelial sheet. Images coutsesy of University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece Intact Epithelium Histological micrograph shows presence of basement membrane (arrows). Basal cells (BC) and wing cells (WC) are also present within the separated epithelial sheet. Separated Sheet H&E stain of an epithelial sheet remains intact during and after separation using the Norwood EyeCare Epikeratome System