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To evaluate the thickness and size consistency of the corneal flap created with the Innovatome automatic microkeratome and to determine any correlation between preoperative variables and these corneal flap dimensions, we performed a prospective study comprising of 268 eyes of 143 patients having laser in situ keratomileusis. Either No. 170 or No. 190 blade was used, and preoperative variables including the central corneal thickness, keratometry (K) reading, spherical equivalent, and the blade type were measured. The mean central corneal flap thickness was 138.8 23.5 microns (range, 71.6-193.7 microns) in blade 170 group, and 148.3 25.4 microns (range, 80.3-211.7 microns) in blade 190 group. No relationship was found between the corneal flap thickness and the preoperative K reading or the spherical equivalent, but the corneal flap thickness increased with the preoperative central corneal thickness. The mean vertical flap diameter was 9.18 0.25 mm (range, 8.50-9.75 mm) in blade 170 group, and 9.50 0.31 mm (range, 8.75-10.00 mm) in blade 190 group. No relationship was found between the corneal flap diameter and the preoperative central corneal thickness or the spherical equivalent, but the corneal flap size increased with the preoperative K reading.
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