Incidence of corneal neuralgia after excimer laser corneal ablation

Session Details

Session Title: Small Incision Lenticule Extraction II

Session Date/Time: Monday 16/09/2019 | 16:30-18:00

Paper Time: 16:36

Venue: Free Paper Forum: Podium 3

First Author: : J.Villada SPAIN

Co Author(s): :    J. Tendero   J. Beltran   T. Villada                       

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Corneal neuralgia is a rare, little known, under-reported and potentially devastating in the sense of how it can affect the quality of life of the patient. In this study we have tried to ascertain its incidence in a large number of patients.

Setting:

Clinica Baviera Spain. A private institution part of Aier World Group.

Methods:

This is a retrospective review of the electronic cases notes of patients operated from the year 2002 until 2017. The diagnosis corneal neuralgia or neuralgia was searched in all diagnosis and also the terms neuralgia or pain in any part of the cases notes. There was a review of the notes of all patients with positive search and some, lost to follow-up, were contacted.

Results:

A total of 644962 eyes from 353802 patients were included in the study. Five hundred twenty four thousand and ninety one eyes underwent LASIK, 86424 surfaces treatment procedures and 34447 were retreatments. There were 21 eyes of 17 patients suffering from corneal neuralgia. The prevalence is 0,0032% or 1 case every 30712 operated eyes. The features of these eyes and patients will be presented.

Conclusions:

This is an extremely rare complication of corneal laser excimer treatment. Physicians should be aware of its existence and patients informed accordingly. Several cases of fatal outcome have been due to this complication which is also the main argument again laser refractive correction of the organisations that postulate against it.

Financial Disclosure:

None