Myopia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Myopia, including details on treatment, prevention, causes, correction.

Long-term results of laser in situ keratomileusis for high myopia: risk for ectasia.

Condon PI, O'Keefe M, Binder PS

Aut Even Hospital, Kilkenny. pcond@eircorn.net

PURPOSE: To ascertain the long-term stability of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in highly myopic eyes. SETTING: Clinical practice office-based surgery. METHOD: Charts of eyes with high myopia who had LASIK surgery by the same surgeon between 1994 and 2000 were reviewed in 2003, and patients were given an appointment for follow-up examinations. In these highly myopic eyes, surgery was originally performed to create undercorrections with or without decreasing the ablation diameters to maximally conserve the residual stromal bed thickness. RESULTS: Of the 107 eyes with myopia between -10.00 diopters (D) and -35.00 D reviewed and operated on in a 3-year period between 1994 and 1998, 35 eyes of 31 patients had a single enhancement procedure. One case of ectasia as a result of excessive tissue removal occurred in a patient with a preoperative refraction of -28.00 D. Of the 107 eyes reviewed, 78 (73%) were examined after 5 years, 68 (63%) after 7 years, and 15 (14%) between 9 years and 11 years. CONCLUSIONS: Operating on eyes with highly myopic refractive errors and removing substantial tissue thickness did not produce ectasia in this series. Although high myopia has been considered a risk factor for post-LASIK ectasia, adherence to proper screening and intraoperative pachymetry appears to decrease the risk.

Published 2 April 2007 in J Cataract Refract Surg, 33(4): 583-90.
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