[Epithelial ingrowth after LASIK--personal experience]

The current incidence of epithelial ingrowth after LASIK varies from 1% to 12%. After second procedure, it increases up to 32%. Known risk factors for this complication include epithelial defects at the time of surgery, or a history of recurrent corneal erosions, corneal basement membrane epithelial dystrophy, history of ingrowth in the other eye, hyperopic LASIK correction, flap instability, repeated LASIK surgeries. We performed 200 LASIK procedures. In 12 patients we found epithelial ingrowth. The follow up period was 2 years. We applied treatment: lifting and manual removal in 7 cases, phototherapeutic keratectomy in 3 cases. The rest of cases were under observation. Epithelial ingrowth is a relatively rare complication, following LASIK.