Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in myopic eyes after laser in situ keratomileusis: Frequency, characteristics, and mechanism

• Published in: Journal of cataract and refractive surgery Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 674 - 680
• Main Authors: Arevalo, J.Fernando, Ramirez, Ernesto, Suarez, Enrique, Cortez, Rafael, Antzoulatos, George, Morales-Stopello, Julian, Ramirez, Gema, Torres, Francia, Gonzalez-Vivas, Rafael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.05.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cornea - surgery; Cryosurgery; Female; Humans; Incidence; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ - adverse effects; Laser Therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myopia - surgery; Retinal Detachment - epidemiology; Retinal Detachment - etiology; Retinal Detachment - surgery; Scleral Buckling; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the eye and orbit; Venezuela - epidemiology; Visual Acuity; Vitrectomy; Venezuela; Human; Retinal detachment; Retinopathy; Keratomileusis; Vision disorder; In situ; Characteristic; Myopia; Eye; Eye disease; Treatment; Surgery; Refractive error; Laser; Complication; Frequency
• ISSN: 0886-3350; 1873-4502
• DOI: 10.1016/S0886-3350(01)00821-5

To report the characteristics and frequency of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for the correction of myopia in a large case series. Private practices, Caracas, Venezuela. Five refractive surgeons and 31 739 myopic eyes that had surgical correction of a mean myopia of –6.01 diopters (D) (range −0.75 to −29.00 D) participated in this study. Laser in situ keratomileusis was performed in all eyes. Patients were followed for a mean of 36 months (range 6 to 48 months). The clinical charts of patients who developed RRD after LASIK were reviewed. Twenty eyes (17 patients) developed RRD after LASIK. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments occurred a mean of 13.9 months (range 1 to 36 months) after LASIK. The mean pre-LASIK myopia in eyes that developed an RRD was –7.02 D (range –1.50 to –16.00 D). Most RRDs and retinal breaks occurred in the temporal quadrants (71.4%). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments were managed with vitrectomy, cryoretinopexy, scleral buckling, argon laser retinopexy, or pneumatic retinopexy techniques. The frequency of RRD after LASIK was 0.06%. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after LASIK for the correction of myopia is infrequent. If managed promptly, RRD will result in good vision. Before LASIK is performed, patients should have a thorough dilated indirect fundoscopy with scleral depression and treatment of any retinal lesion predisposing to the development of an RRD.