LASIK after flap complications has good visual outcomes, but complications risk increases

When LASIK is performed after a flap complication occurs, refractive outcomes can be good, but the secondary surgery carries an increased risk for intraoperative and postoperative complications, a retrospective study found.

Namrata Sharma, MD, and colleagues reviewed the results in 15 eyes of 15 patients with flap complications to study the refractive and visual outcomes of LASIK. Of the 15 eyes, six had buttonholes and nine had incomplete flaps. A second attempt at LASIK was performed after refractions were stable for 2 months.

Following the second surgery, 13 of the 15 eyes were within 0.5 D of attempted correction, but two eyes again had irregular flaps with the second surgery, according to the study authors.

They found that post-LASIK complications included diffuse lamellar keratitis in one eye, epithelial ingrowth in one eye and flap striae in two eyes.

After the initial flap complication, no eye lost more than two lines of best corrected visual acuity, but following the second LASIK one eye lost two lines of BCVA at 6-month follow-up. At the 6-month follow-up point, all 15 eyes had 20/40 or better BCVA.

This study is published in the July issue of the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.