Table 2.

Postoperative symptoms in arm A (n = 39 bilateral cases) and arm B (n = 33 bilateral cases)

	Day	Method	Pain	FBS	Burning	Photophobia	Tearing	Dry eye
Arm A	1	tPRK	4.18 ± 3.68*	5.38 ± 3.64**	4.54 ± 3.32*	6.67 ± 3.40	5.77 ± 3.76	3.13 ± 3.30
		mPRK	2.49 ± 3.15	2.77 ± 3.23	3.31 ± 3.14	6.31 ± 3.51	5.10 ± 3.63	2.85 ± 3.00
	3	tPRK	2.21 ± 2.34	3.21 ± 3.00	2.90 ± 3.11	5.15 ± 3.00	3.08 ± 2.64	2.56 ± 2.76
		mPRK	1.85 ± 2.13	2.85 ± 2.67	2.90 ± 3.08	5.08 ± 2.97	2.79 ± 2.53	2.62 ± 2.65
	7	tPRK	0.37 ± 0.83	0.58 ± 1.07	0.37 ± 0.68	1.68 ± 1.70	0.16 ± 0.50	2.83 ± 1.98
		mPRK	0.53 ± 1.43	0.79 ± 1.55	0.26 ± 0.65	1.68 ± 1.77	0.26 ± 0.65	3.06 ± 2.01
Arm B	1	tPRK	5.52 ± 3.89**	5.94 ± 3.61*	5.73 ± 3.92**	5.30 ± 3.60	5.09 ± 3.20	3.61 ± 3.56
		aaPRK	3.21 ± 3.18	4.27 ± 3.44	3.91 ± 3.31	5.18 ± 3.55	4.73 ± 3.40	3.39 ± 3.40
	3	tPRK	3.45 ± 3.12	3.82 ± 3.32	2.97 ± 2.87	5.21 ± 3.26	3.18 ± 3.12	3.88 ± 3.42
		aaPRK	3.24 ± 2.67	3.94 ± 2.91	3.15 ± 2.88	5.33 ± 3.13	3.09 ± 3.06	3.91 ± 3.37
	7	tPRK	0.64 ± 1.74	0.71 ± 1.64	0.86 ± 1.75	2.79 ± 2.97	0.36 ± 1.34	3.93 ± 2.06
		aaPRK	0.50 ± 1.40	1.21 ± 2.64	1.79 ± 2.69	3.36 ± 3.15	0.86 ± 1.99	3.93 ± 2.02

FBS Foreign body sensation, tPRK Transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy, mPRK Mechanical PRK, aaPRK Alcohol-assisted PRK

Data are presented as Mean ± SD

Bold values are statistically significant

*P<0.01

**P<0.001