Combined flap undersurface and bed LASIK for high myopia.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Refractive Surgery
• Corneal Surgery

Background:

• High myopia presents significant challenges for vision correction.
• Conventional LASIK may have limitations in treating higher degrees of myopia.
• Advancements in laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) aim to improve outcomes for complex refractive errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the predictability, stability, and safety of both-sided LASIK for high myopia.
• To compare the safety and injury profiles of both-sided LASIK with conventional LASIK.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 63 patients (121 eyes) with high myopia underwent both-sided LASIK.
• Postoperative outcomes including uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), refraction, and corneal topography were assessed up to 12 months.
• Safety and injury indices were calculated and compared to theoretical conventional LASIK treatments.

Main Results:

• Both-sided LASIK achieved high predictability, with postoperative UCVA close to preoperative best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA).
• Mean BSCVA significantly improved post-surgery (P<.05).
• The safety factor was higher and the injury index was lower in both-sided LASIK compared to conventional LASIK (P<.05).

Conclusions:

• Both-sided LASIK is a safe and effective surgical procedure for correcting high myopia.
• This technique offers improved safety and reduced injury risk compared to conventional LASIK.
• Corneal topography remained normal in all treated eyes.