Acute corneal endothelial changes after laser in situ keratomileusis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Surgery
• Laser Vision Correction

Background:

• Corneal endothelium is crucial for maintaining corneal clarity.
• Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a common refractive surgery.
• Understanding LASIK's acute effects on the endothelium is important for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the immediate impact of LASIK on corneal endothelial cell morphology and density.
• To assess the reversibility of any observed endothelial changes post-LASIK.

Main Methods:

• Bilateral simultaneous LASIK was performed on 10 patients for myopic astigmatism.
• Corneal endothelium was examined using slit-lamp biomicroscopy and specular microscopy.
• Endothelial cell density (ECD), cell size variation (CV), and hexagonality were measured preoperatively, immediately post-LASIK, and 1 day post-surgery.

Main Results:

• Immediate post-LASIK examination revealed altered endothelial cell morphology and reduced hexagonality.
• Endothelial cell density and cell size variation showed no statistically significant changes.
• A significant decrease in hexagonal cells was observed immediately after LASIK, which largely recovered by day 1.

Conclusions:

• LASIK induces acute, transient changes in corneal endothelial cell morphology, specifically a loss of hexagonality.
• These findings suggest that LASIK may cause temporary endothelial cell edema.
• The corneal endothelium demonstrates resilience, with changes resolving shortly after surgery.