Laser in situ keratomileusis in patients with a history of ocular herpes

To report the outcomes of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in patients with a history of ocular herpes simplex virus (HSV) or herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO).

Clínica Baviera, Instituto Oftalmológico Europeo, Madrid, Spain.

In this retrospective case series, the records of eyes with a history of ocular herpes that had LASIK from 2003 through 2005 were reviewed. The main outcome measure was postoperative recurrence of ocular herpes.

Forty-nine eyes (48 patients) with a history of ocular herpes (HSV keratitis, 28 eyes; HSV eyelid lesions, 17 eyes; HZO, 4 eyes) were identified. All LASIK procedures were uneventful. Herpetic disease was inactive at the time of surgery in all eyes and for more than 1 year in 31 eyes. Perioperative antiviral systemic prophylaxis was used in 13 patients with a history of HSV keratitis. No eye developed reactivation of herpetic keratitis during the follow-up (range 1 to 28 months).

Laser in situ keratomileusis was safe in patients with a history of ocular herpes; no recurrences occurred during the follow-up period. However, candidates should be selected with caution and surgery performed only in eyes in which the herpes has been inactive for 1 year before surgery, without stromal disease, and with regular topography and pachymetry maps and normal corneal sensitivity. The most reasonable clinical strategy is perioperative systemic antiviral prophylaxis.