Related Experiment Videos
Diffuse lamellar keratitis and flap margin epithelial healing after laser in situ keratomileusis
Naoko Asano-Kato1, Ikuko Toda, Tomoko Tsuruya
1Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic, Tokyo, Japan. naokato@bc.iij4u.or.jp
Purpose:
To evaluate whether wound healing of the corneal epithelium at the flap margin influences development of diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).
Methods:
We examined prospectively 1928 eyes of 994 patients after LASIK. Condition of wound healing at the flap margin 1 day after LASIK was graded as gutter score from 0 to 3, according to the extent of fluorescein staining. Existence of DLK, gutter score, and the location of DLK and gutter were evaluated.
Results:
Sixty-eight eyes (3.5%) developed DLK. The average gutter score was significantly higher in patients with DLK compared to those without DLK (P<.001). The location of DLK was identical to the location of gutter in 44 eyes (77.2%).
Conclusion:
Disruption of integrity of the epithelial barrier function at the flap margin was associcated with diffuse lamellar keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis.