Unilateral corneal ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis in a patient with uncomplicated photorefractive keratectomy in the fellow eye.

We report a patient treated for low myopia with laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in one eye and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in the fellow eye. Corneal ectasia developed in the LASIK-treated eye. Preoperative corneal pachymetry, topography, and attempted correction were similar in both eyes. In patients whose corneas may be predisposed to instability, PRK may be a safer alternative procedure than LASIK

Fifteen-year follow-up after LASIK: case report.

To present 15-year follow-up of one of the first LASIK-treated patients. A 40-year-old woman underwent LASIK in the left eye for myopia in July 1991. Fifteen years after LASIK, spherical equivalent error was statistically significantly reduced from preoperative -8.75 -3.75 x 025 degrees to postoperative -4.25 -2.75 x 010 degrees. Six months postoperatively, refractive and topographic stability was obtained and remained stable during follow-up with no significant changes between interval mean time (-3.75 -3.00 x 020 degrees 6 months postoperatively to -4.25 -2.75 x 010 degrees 15 years postoperatively). No early or late postoperative complications were observed, and confocal microscopy revealed a regenerated nerve plexus and normal cornea. However, increased scattering and presence of debris were observed at the flap interface even after 15 years. Despite moderate predictability (residual refractive error) and small optical zone, the patient was satisfied with final outcome. One of the first LASIK-treated patients was presented 15 years after surgery. LASIK in this patient had low predictability, although refractive and topographic stability occurred after the sixth postoperative month. No long-term, sight-threatening complications were identified during follow-up

Eleven-year follow-up of laser in situ keratomileusis.

To report the long-term (11-year) outcomes (stability and complications) of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in patients with high myopia. University refractive surgery center. Seven patients (4 with bilateral treatment and 3 with unilateral treatment) who had myopic LASIK and completed 11 years of follow-up were included in the study. The mean age of the 2 men and 5 women was 41.7 years +/- 6.5 (SD) (range 34 to 50 years). The mean follow-up was 140.18 +/- 6.70 months (range 132 to 150 months). At 11 years, the spherical equivalent error was statistically significantly reduced, from a mean of -12.96 +/- 3.17 diopters (D) (range -19.00 to -10.00 D) before LASIK to a mean of -1.14 +/- 1.67 D (range -4.25 to 1.00 D) after (P<.001). Predictability of postoperative refraction 6 months and 11 years after LASIK showed that 6 eyes (55%) were within +/-1.00 D of intended correction. No late postoperative complications occurred. Five patients (8 eyes, 73%) were satisfied with the final outcome. Laser in situ keratomileusis was moderately predictable in the correction of high degrees of myopia. After the sixth postoperative month, refractive and topographic stability were obtained. No long-term sight-threatening complications occurred during the follow-up period

Long-term follow-up of Intacs for post-LASIK corneal ectasia.

To report long-term follow-up of Intacs microthin prescription inserts for the management of post-LASIK corneal ectasia. Long-term (5 years), retrospective, nonrandomized study. Eight eyes of 5 patients with post-LASIK corneal ectasia (3 men and 2 women) ages 31 to 54 years (mean age+/-standard deviation [SD], 41.60+/-9.24 years) who had completed 5 years of follow-up (mean follow-up +/- SD, 60.1+/-4.9 months; range, 57-68 months). Two Intacs segments, inserted in the usual fashion, were used for low myopia correction (1 each nasally and temporally), with thickness based on the residual refraction of the patients. Manifest refraction, uncorrected and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, patient satisfaction, topography, and confocal microscopy analysis. No intraoperative or late postoperative complications occurred in this series of patients. At 5 years, the SE error was statistically significantly reduced (pre-Intacs mean+/-SD, -5.47+/-2.66 diopters [D]; range, -11.50 to -3.00 D) to -2.56+/-3.44 D (range, -9.50 to 1.5 D; P = 0.01). At the end of the first postoperative year, refractive stability was obtained and remained stable during the follow-up period with no significant changes between the interval meantime (P>0.05). Pre-Intacs uncorrected visual acuity was 20/100 or worse in all eyes (range, counting fingers-20/100), whereas at the last follow-up examination, 6 (75%) of 8 eyes had uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better (range, counting fingers-20/25). Two eyes (25%) maintained the pre-Intacs best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, whereas the rest of the eyes (6 eyes; 75%) experienced a gain of 1 or 2 lines. At the end of the first postoperative year, uncorrected and best-spectacle corrected visual acuity and topographic stability were obtained and were shown to have remained stable during the follow-up period with no significant changes between the interval meantime. Lamellar channel deposits were observed in confocal microscopy at or adjacent to the intrastromal ring segment. Refractive stability was maintained for up to 5 years in the treatment of post-LASIK corneal ectasia after Intacs implantation. There was no evidence of progressive time-dependent corneal ectasia, late regression, or sight-threatening complications in this study

Combined Intacs and posterior chamber toric implantable Collamer lens implantation for keratoconic patients with extreme myopia.

To evaluate the results of combined Intacs (Addition Technology, Fremont, California, USA) and posterior chamber toric implantable Collamer lens [ICLs] (Visian ICL; STAAR Surgical, Monrovia, California, USA) implantation in keratoconic patients with extreme myopia and irregular astigmatism. Prospective, single-center, noncomparative, interventional, consecutive case series. Three eyes of two consecutive highly myopic keratoconic patients who had undergone posterior chamber toric ICLs implantation after Intacs implantation. Implantation of posterior chamber toric ICLs was performed at intervals between six and 10 months after Intacs implantation. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), refraction, topographic findings, adverse events, and postoperative complications were noted. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. An improvement in UCVA and BSCVA was found after the Intacs and toric Visian ICL procedures in all eyes. All eyes were emmetropic within 1 diopter (D), whereas the mean manifest refractive spherical equivalent refraction reduced from -18.50 +/- 2.61 D (range, -16.75 to -21.50 D) to 0.42 D (range, plano to -0.75 D). The mean difference between preoperative and last follow-up UCVA and BSCA was a gain of 6.67 +/- 1.15 lines (range, gain of six to eight lines) and 4.33 +/- 2.52 lines (range, gain of two to seven lines), respectively. Combined Intacs and posterior chamber toric phakic Visian ICL implantation in a two-step procedure is an effective method for correcting keratoconic patients with extreme myopia

Long-term follow-up of Intacs in keratoconus.

To evaluate long-term follow-up of Intacs microthin prescription inserts (Addition Technology, Inc, Fremont, California, USA) for the management of keratoconus. A long-term (five years) retrospective, follow-up study. Seventeen eyes of 15 patients with keratoconus ages 24 to 52 years (mean age +/- standard deviation [SD], 34.0 +/- 10.5 years) who had completed five years of follow-up (mean follow-up +/- SD, 67.2 +/- 7.5 months; range, 58 to 78 months) were included. Two Intacs segments of 0.45-mm thickness were inserted in the cornea of each eye, aiming at embracing the keratoconus area to try to achieve maximal flattening. No late postoperative complications occurred in this series of patients. At five years, the spherical equivalent error was statistically significantly reduced (pre-Intacs, mean +/- SD -5.54 +/- 5.02 diopters [D]; range, -12.50 to 3.63 D; -3.02 +/- 2.65 D; range, -8.25 to 1.88 D) (P = .01). Pre-Intacs uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 20/50 or worse in all eyes (range, counting fingers to 20/50), whereas, at the last follow-up examination, 10 (59%) of 17 eyes had UCVA of 20/50 or better (range, counting fingers to 20/32). Six eyes (35%) maintained the pre-Intacs best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) and one eye lost 3 lines of BSCVA, whereas the rest of the 10 eyes (59%) experienced a gain of one up to 8 lines. After five years, intracorneal ring segments implantation improved UCVA, BSCVA, and refraction in the majority of the keratoconus patients. There was no evidence of progressive sight-threatening complications in this study

Long-term results of thin corneas after refractive laser surgery.

To report the long-term refractive results of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in patients with thin corneas. A long-term, retrospective, non-randomized follow-up study. Sixty-three patients (124 eyes) (28 males and 35 females), who had a preoperative central corneal thickness (CCT) of less than 500 microns and completed at least one year of follow-up examinations after surgery. Thirty-five patients (68 eyes) underwent PRK and 28 patients (56 eyes) underwent LASIK. Mean preoperative corneal pachymetry was 484.95 +/- 6.65 microm (range, 470 to 498 microm) and 482.38 +/- 10.73 microm (range, 453 to 499 microm) for LASIK and PRK, respectively. No intraoperative complications were found in both groups. None of the included eyes developed postrefractive corneal ectasia. The mean predictability for the PRK group was 0.08 diopters (D) with a standard deviation of 0.40 D (range, -1.38 to 1.00 D), and the mean predictability for the LASIK group was 0.14 D with a standard deviation of 0.55 D (range, -1.25 to 1.33 D). Refractive laser surgery with LASIK or PRK in patients with thin corneas (less than 500 microm) seems to be a safe and predictable technique for myopic refractive corrections

Long-term results of superficial laser in situ keratomileusis after ultrathin flap creation.

To study the long-term efficacy, safety, and stability of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) after unintentional ultrathin flap creation less than 80 mum. University refractive surgery center. This retrospective case series comprised 25 patients (33 eyes) who had LASIK after flap creation less than 80 mum with the Moria M2 disposable microkeratome (head 90 microm). Flap thickness was measured with intraoperative ultrasound pachymetry. Manifest refraction, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, predictability, stability, complications, patient satisfaction, and confocal microscopy images were studied. The mean follow-up was 14.58 months +/- 3.73 (SD) (range 12 to 25 months). The mean flap thickness was 72.1 +/- 5.9 microm (range 58 to 80 microm), and the mean preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) refraction was -5.59 +/- 2.01 diopters (D) (range -10.25 to -3.25 D). On the first postoperative day, the UCVA was 20/25 or better. The SE manifest refraction was 1.00 D or less in all patients. The mean SE manifest refraction was -0.75 +/- 0.55 D (range -1.00 to +0.75 D) (P < .01). At the last follow-up, changes in visual acuity and manifest refraction were not statistically significant; no late postoperative complications were observed. All patients were satisfied with the final outcome. Qualitative analysis of confocal microscopy images revealed interface particles and activated keratocytes. Despite the small sample and retrospective nature of the study, superficial LASIK seemed to be a safe and predictable technique for myopic refractive corrections. Patients were satisfied with the results and had rapid visual recovery with no intraoperative or early or late postoperative complications. If the safety and efficacy of an ultrathin flap are confirmed by additional studies, superficial LASIK could represent a new approach that combines the advantages of surface and lamellar procedures