Choroidal neovascularization following laser in situ keratomileusis

Two cases of choroidal neovascularization occurring after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) are presented from two separate centers. In the first case, an extrafoveal choroidal neovascular membrane, apparently associated with age-related macular degeneration, occurred 3 months after a LASIK procedure was performed on a 64-year-old man with hyperopia. Argon laser treatment and subsequent photodynamic therapy were performed and resulted in stabilization of vision. The second case involved neovascularization 3 weeks following a LASIK procedure for myopia, apparently associated with the myopia. No treatment was recommended and the vision stabilized at 20/50. Although the cause is not clear, careful preoperative macular evaluation and attention to symptoms that might herald the presence of choroidal neovascularization are recommended for patients undergoing LASIK.