Vision loss following laser keratorefractive surgery: a retrospective large data analysis

Session Details

Session Title: SMILE vs PRK, Ocular Surface Disease

Session Date/Time: Monday 24/09/2018 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 08:24

Venue: Room A3, Podium 3

First Author: : A.nemet ISRAEL

Co Author(s): :    M. Mimouni   O. Barouch   T. Sela   G. Munzer   O. Segal   I. Kaiserman     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To identify the incidence and causes of vision loss following laser keratorefractive surgery.

Setting:

The Care-Vision Laser Centers, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Methods:

This retrospective study included patients who underwent laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) between January 2000 and December 2014. Patients with a follow-up time of less than three months were excluded. Vision loss was defined as a postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) that was 10 letters lower than the preoperative BCVA. The files of patients in which vision loss was identified were reviewed in order to identify the cause and its severity.

Results:

Overall, 49,192 eyes were included in this study. In 146 eyes (0.30%) postoperative vision loss was identified. The mean age of the vision loss group was 37.7 ± 13.4 years with 52.7% being of male. Preoperative and postoperative decimal BCVA was 1.04 ± 0.28 and 0.57 ± 0.21, respectively. Reasons for vision loss were cataract (n=46, 31.5%), corneal ectasia (n=40, 28.1%), haze (n=23, 15.8%), severe dry eye (n=13, 8.9%), higher order aberrations (n=6, 4.1%), epithelial ingrowth (n=3, 2.1%), treatment decentration (n=2, 1.4%), retinal detachment (n=2, 1.4%), other retinal pathology (n=2, 1.4%), glaucoma (n=1, 0.7%) and unknown cause (n=7, 4.8%).

Conclusions:

: In this analysis of a big data set of patients that underwent laser keratorefractive surgery, postoperative vision loss was identified in approximately 1 out of 300 patients. These potential causes and their incidence should be discussed thoroughly by surgeons with their patients before undergoing such elective surgery.

Financial Disclosure:

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