Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for the correction of myopia

• Published in: Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) Vol. 20; no. 4; p. 338
• Main Authors: Arevalo, J F, Ramirez, E, Suarez, E, Antzoulatos, G, Torres, F, Cortez, R, Morales-Stopello, J, Ramirez, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2000
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Cornea - surgery; Cryosurgery; Female; Humans; Incidence; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ - adverse effects; Laser Coagulation; Male; Middle Aged; Myopia - surgery; Reoperation; Retinal Detachment - epidemiology; Retinal Detachment - etiology; Retinal Detachment - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Scleral Buckling; Visual Acuity; Vitrectomy
• DOI: 10.1097/00006982-200004000-00003
• ISSN: 0275-004X

To report a case series of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and its incidence at a mean of 24 months. The clinical charts of patients who experienced RRD after LASIK were reviewed. Five refractive surgeons and 24,890 myopic eyes that underwent surgical correction of myopia ranging from -0.75 to -29.00 diopters (D) (mean, -6.19 D) participated in this study. Thirteen eyes from 12 patients developed RRD after LASIK. Rhegmatogenous RD occurred between 1 and 36 months (mean, 12.6 months) after LASIK. Eyes that developed RRD had from -1.50 to -16.00 D of myopia (mean, -6.96 D) before LASIK. Rhegmatogenous RD were managed with vitrectomy, cryoretinopexy, scleral buckling, argon laser retinopexy, or pneumatic retinopexy techniques. The incidence of RRD at a mean of 24 months after LASIK in this study was 0.05%. Rhegmatogenous RD after LASIK is infrequent. If managed promptly, good vision can result. No cause-effect relationship between LASIK and RD can be proved from this study, but the authors recommend that patients scheduled for refractive surgery undergo a thorough dilated indirect fundus examination with scleral depression and treatment of any retinal lesions predisposing them to the development of RRD before LASIK surgery is performed.