In this study we evaluated the changes in the corneal endothelial cells before and after the operation among myopes in the M-LASEK group, on whom 0.02% mitomycin C (MMC) was used and in the LASEK group, on whom MMC was not used.

The corneal endothelial cell analysis was performed in 104 eyes of 57 subjects in the LASEK group and in 86 eyes of 48 subjects in the M-LASEK group before the operation, and 3 months and 12 months postoperatively.

There were no statistically significant differences in the corneal endothelial cell density (CD), the cell area coefficient of variance (CV), and hexagonal cell rate (6A) between the 2 groups before the operation, and 3 months and 12 months postoperatively ( p > 0.05). In the LASEK group, there were no statistically significant differences ( p > 0.05) in CD when the numerical values before the operation and 3 months and 12 months after the operation were compared, but there were statistically significant differences in CV and 6A when comparing before the operation and 12 months postoperatively ( p = 0.001, p = 0.034, respectively). In the M-LASEK group, there was a 2.8% statistically significant decrease ( p = 0.004) in CD when the numerical values before the operation and 3 months after the operation were compared, but there were no statistically significant difference ( p > 0.05) when the numerical values before the operation and 12 months after the operation were compared. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences ( p > 0.05) in CV and 6A when the numerical values before the operation and 3 months and 12 months after the operation were compared.

M-LASEK, contrary to LASEK, showed statistically significant differences in CD in short-term results such as 3 months postoperatively, but in long-term observation such as 12 months postoperatively, both groups showed no statistically significant differences.