Appendix 1. CENTRAL search strategy

#1 MeSH descriptor Myopia
#2 myop*
#3 sight* AND (short or near*)
#4 (#1 OR #2 OR #3)
#5 MeSH descriptor Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser‐Assisted
#6 MeSH descriptor Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ
#7 MeSH descriptor Photorefractive Keratectomy
#8 MeSH descriptor Corneal Surgery, Laser
#9 keratectom*
#10 keratomileusis
#11 LAS?K
#12 PRK
#13 laser* near/3 refractive near/3 surg*
#14 laser* near/3 epithel* near/3 surg*
#15 excimer near/3 laser*
#16 (#5 OR #6 OR #7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12 OR #13 OR #14 OR #15)
#17 MeSH descriptor Antimetabolites
#18 MeSH descriptor Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
#19 anti next metaboli*
#20 anti*metaboli*
#21 anti next neoplastic*
#22 anti*neoplastic*
#23 MeSH descriptor Mitomycin
#24 mitomycin*
#25 mytomycin*
#26 mitomicin*
#27 mytomicin*
#28 (#17 OR #18 OR #19 OR #20 OR #21 OR #22 OR #23 OR #24 OR #25 OR #26 OR #27)
#29 (#16 AND #28)

Appendix 2. MEDLINE search strategy

1 randomized controlled trial.pt.
2 (randomized or randomised).ab,ti.
3 placebo.ab,ti.
4 dt.fs.
5 randomly.ab,ti.
6 trial.ab,ti.
7 groups.ab,ti.
8 or/1‐7
9 exp animals/
10 exp humans/
11 9 not (9 and 10)
12 8 not 11
13 exp myopia/
14 myop$.tw.
15 ((short or near) adj3 sight$).tw.
16 or/13‐15
17 exp keratectomy,laser/
18 exp keratectomy,subepithelial,laser assisted/
19 exp keratomileusis, laser in situ/
20 exp photorefractive keratectomy/
21 exp corneal surgery, laser/
22 keratectom$.tw.
23 keratomileusis.tw.
24 LAS?K.tw.
25 PRK.tw.
26 (laser$ adj3 refractive adj3 surg$).tw.
27 (laser$ adj3 epithel$ adj3 surg$).tw.
28 (excimer adj3 laser$).tw.
29 or/17‐28
30 exp antimetabolites/
31 exp antibiotics antineoplastic/
32 (anti adj1 metaboli$).tw.
33 anti?metaboli$.tw.
34 (anti adj1 neoplastic$).tw.
35 anti?neoplastic$.tw.
36 exp mitomycin/
37 mitomycin$.tw.
38 mytomycin$.tw.
39 mitomicin$.tw.
40 mytomicin$.tw.
41 or/30‐40
42 16 and 29 and 41
43 12 and 42

The search filter for trials at the beginning of the MEDLINE strategy is from the published paper by Glanville et al (Glanville 2006).

Appendix 3. EMBASE search strategy

1 exp randomized controlled trial/
2 exp randomization/
3 exp double blind procedure/
4 exp single blind procedure/
5 random$.tw.
6 or/1‐5
7 (animal or animal experiment).sh.
8 human.sh.
9 7 and 8
10 7 not 9
11 6 not 10
12 exp clinical trial/
13 (clin$ adj3 trial$).tw.
14 ((singl$ or doubl$ or trebl$ or tripl$) adj3 (blind$ or mask$)).tw.
15 exp placebo/
16 placebo$.tw.
17 random$.tw.
18 exp experimental design/
19 exp crossover procedure/
20 exp control group/
21 exp latin square design/
22 or/12‐21
23 22 not 10
24 23 not 11
25 exp comparative study/
26 exp evaluation/
27 exp prospective study/
28 (control$ or prospectiv$ or volunteer$).tw.
29 or/25‐28
30 29 not 10
31 30 not (11 or 23)
32 11 or 24 or 31
33 exp myopia/
34 exp high myopia/
35 myop$.tw.
36 ((short or near) adj3 sight$).tw.
37 or/33‐36
38 exp keratectomy/
39 exp photorefractive keratectomy/
40 exp keratomileusis/
41 exp laser epithelial keratomileusis/
42 keratectom$.tw.
43 keratomileusis.tw.
44 LAS?K.tw.
45 PRK.tw.
46 (laser$ adj3 refractive adj3 surg$).tw.
47 (laser$ adj3 epithel$ adj3 surg$).tw.
48 (excimer adj3 laser$).tw.
49 or/38‐48
50 exp antimetabolites/
51 exp antibiotics antineoplastic/
52 (anti adj1 metaboli$).tw.
53 anti?metaboli$.tw.
54 (anti adj1 neoplastic$).tw.
55 anti?neoplastic$.tw.
56 exp mitomycin/
57 mitomycin$.tw.
58 mytomycin$.tw.
59 mitomicin$.tw.
60 mytomicin$.tw.
61 or/50‐60
62 37 and 49 and 61
63 32 and 62

Appendix 4. LILACS search strategy

myop$ and antimetabolit$ or antineoplastic$ or mitomycin$ or mytomycin$ or mitomicin$ or mytomicin$