·AIM:To compare the clinical effect of LASEK surgery with and without epithelial flap for myopia patients and to assess the safety and effectiveness of LASEK surgery without epithelial flap.·METHODS:Fifty-seven cases 114 eyes with myopia were observed,their left eyes underwent LASEK surgery without epithelial flap(the observed group)and their right eyes underwent LASEK surgery with epithelial flap(the control group).They ere followed up for 6 months,the pain response,visual acuity were observed 1-3 days after operation and the changes of haze were assessed six months after operation·RESULTS:Both methods had good surgical results.There was no or mild pain response in the observed group after 1-3 days(54 eyes,accounting for 94.7%),and moderate pain response in 3 eyes(5.3%);However,in control group,there was no pain response in the observed group after 1-3 days(6 eyes,accounting for 10.5%),and mild(38 eyes)or moderate pain response in 13 eyes(89.5%);visual acuity was 0.8 and 0.86 at the first day and fifth day after operation in the observed group,while visual acuity was 0.69 and 0.76 in the control group.After two weeks,there was no significant difference in visual acuity in both two groups;after six months,there was no significant difference in haze in both two groups.·CONCLUSION:Compared to the conventional hand-flap LASEK,LASEK surgery without flap has milder postoperative reactions,faster visual recovery and better safety and predictability.·