Early postoperative pain following Epi-LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy: a prospective, comparative, bilateral study.

Purpose: To compare postoperative pain associated with epi-LASIK versus photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Methods: This prospective observer-masked randomized study included 40 eyes of 20 patients with myopia and astigmatism who received epi-LASIK (Moria Epi-K) in one eye and PRK in the contralateral eye. Corneal ablation was done using the NIDEK EC-5000 excimer laser.