Medical records of 42 eyes of 28 10 women, 18 men patients who developed. Collagen crosslinking cxl, gp lenses, scleral lenses, and hybrid lenses have been shown to be an effective treatment for keratoconus and post lasik ectasia. Future studies should focus on the corneal keratocytes, corneal collagen, and exogenous and endogenous factors that may influence corneal collagen synthesis and modulation in order to find means of preventing corneal ectasia following lasik. Keratoconus and corneal ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis lasik arenoninflammatoryprocessesin which the corneal architecture deforms in association with thinning. Such a patient clearly has a case of post lasik ectasia. A registry for reporting cases of ectasia after lasik had its debut recently. Although few patients with normal corneal topography develop postlasik ectasia, this surprise complication remains one of the most feared in laser refractive surgery, thanks to its potential to cause visual catastrophe. We studied a group of patients referred to a universitybased refractive surgery center who developed ectasia after lasik to identify factors that may have. Ectatic corneal disorders including keratoconus and ectasia after lasik are the second most common indications for keratoplasty, accounting for about 15% of corneal transplants performed in the. Regardless, he said that corneal crosslinking is the proper procedure to perform on somebody who has ectasia. Corneal ectatic disorders or corneal ectasia are a group of uncommon, noninflammatory, eye disorders characterised by bilateral thinning of the central, paracentral, or peripheral cornea.
The exact risk for post lasik ectasia is unknown and difficult to estimate, given advances in lasik technology and treatment protocols. Easy calculation evaluates postlasik ectasia risk american. The appearance and progression of post lasik ectasia are similar to a degenerative disease of the cornea called keratoconus. Post surgical ectasia is a condition resembling keratoconus but comes from a different origin. It is mostly encountered after lasik surgery for myopia and compound myopic astigmatism. Postlasik ectasia is a condition similar to keratoconus where the cornea starts to bulge.
Ectasia after lasik postlasik keratoconus corneal ectasia. Internal pressure from within the eye can cause expansion or distension of the cornea. There are numerous reports of corneal ectasia that developed after lasik in myopic eyes, occurring in most of cases 1 year after surgery, 4,5 although late onset sometimes after 10 years or more. Its what many practitioners worry abouta post lasik patient comes in with signs of a thinning, bulging cornea. The clinical data for the post lasik ectasia and stable lasik groups is summarized in table 1. The etiology of the ectasia is an important component. The purpose of the registry is to identify risk factors that are not currently known and to serve as a basis for clinical trials in the future, said dr. New filters for lasik screening new studies with innovative indices are allowing surgeons to catch more risky corneas before surgery. Treating postlasik ectasia with corneal crosslinking. Pressure inside the eye called intraocular pressure iop, which pushes on the back surface of the cornea. This focal points issue will help you evaluate patients for corneal ectasia, be aware of the risk factors for corneal ectasia after lasik, perform a variety of diagnostic modalities to screen patients, and manage and treat ectasia. This is not a new clinical finding, but rather a possible confirmatory case of the existing literature on the subject. Known risk factors for postlasik corneal ectasia in miami. He was extremely pleased with his lens outcome and left with 2015 vision and no aberrations.
Ectasia after lasik, postlasik keratectasia youtube. In his opinion, theres no other solution for ectasia other than collagen crosslinking. Letter from a patient that developed keratoconus after lasik surgery. Letter from a patient that developed keratoconus after. Corneal ectasia is a serious complication of laser in situ keratomileusis lasik. Studies suggest it may occur in roughly one of every 2,000 lasik procedures. The combined intervention improved udva from 2070 to 2040 and cdva from 2040 to 2020 with 2 years followup. Ectatic corneas are both a contraindication and an occasional consequence of lasik. However in 2011 i started to notice my vision was deteriorating and i had developed a great deal of ghosting and starbursts, particularly in the right eye. Dec 18, 2012 corneal ectasia following lasik surgery causes changes in the shape of the cornea and can lead to decreased vision. Ectasia after lasik american academy of ophthalmology. Corneal thickness changes after corneal collagen crosslinking for keratoconus and corneal ectasia. Known risk factors for post lasik corneal ectasia in miami. Lasik xtra there are a number of potential indications for a combined cxl and lasik procedure lasik xtra.
In my experience, patients that have ectasia for lasik usually develop that fairly quickly, within a year or 2, if its actually caused by the lasik, he explained. Analysis of cases and accuracy of 3 risk scoring systems in. Corneal ectasia post lasik complication new treatment info. Corneal crosslinking treats ectasia after refractive surgery. My visual acuity in this eye also became very poor. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page information wikidata item cite this page. While most patients who develop postlasik ectasia present identifiable risk factors, especially preoperative changes on corneal topography with a placido disc. This 56yearold woman presented status post bilateral lasik for myopia at an outside institution. Postsurgical ectasia is a condition resembling keratoconus but comes from a different origin. To evaluate and modify the randleman ectasia risk score system for predicting post. Most eye doctors fell that having a minimum of 250 microns of tissue remaining in the base of the cornea after the laser treatment is important in helping prevent the development of corneal ectasia. We received this feedback from a young man devastated by a diagnosis of keratoconus and corneal ectasia after undergoing lasik eye surgery.
Lasik doctors will tell you that incident rates of ectasia are low, but they dont tell you that they are many, many times higher with lasik than with prk. With all lasik surgeries, the prevention of postoperative ectasia through careful preoperative screening is of paramount importance. In an attempt to clarify some of the issues surrounding postlasik ectasia, a committee of cornea and refractive surgeons assembled by the international society of refractive surgery american academy of ophthalmology and the american society of cataract and refractive surgery issued a consensus report in november 2005. Corneal ectasia induced by laser in situ keratomileusis ioannis g. These cases will be evaluated against a control group of lasik patients who did not develop ectasia, in an effort to validate known risk factors and discover new ones. Keywords accelerated collagen crosslinking, corneal collagen crosslinking, ectasia, laser insitu. Post lasik ectasia may be a new name for an old disease. Glasses and soft contact lenses are ineffective on an eye such as this.
Ectasia after lasik, corneal postlasik ectasia a state of. The lasik procedure permanently weakens and thins out the cornea, resulting in progressive changes in the cornea such as steepening or bulging, called ectasia. Letter from a patient that developed keratoconus after lasik. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. When ectasia began to rear its ugly head several years ago in postop lasik patients, surgeons scrambled for better ways to screen candidates who might be susceptible to this disastrous corneal thinning. Lasik ectasia or corneal ectasia is a rare but serious complication of lasik laser eye surgery. Keratectasia has been reported to occur more frequently after retreatments, as seen in the left eye of patient 4 in our study. The cases presented, herewith, had late onset postlasik ectasia despite normal preop corneal topography, calculated residual corneal stromal bed thickness of more than 250.
I eventually found out that the laser surgery had caused postlasik ectasia, which is a form of keratoconus where the cornea thins. Eyeworld treating postlasik ectasia with corneal crosslinking. Postoperative factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of postlasik corneal ectasia. Even though the results are encouraging, concern still exists regarding the longterm effect of such an approach for the management of post lasik ectasia. A special gas permeable contact or scleral lens will be needed to restore lost vision. Postlasik ectasia may be a new name for an old disease. Risks that lasik surgeons dont disclose to prospective patients. The most frequent topic being discussed by lasik surgeons in journals and at conferences is the development of methods of prescreening patients to reduce the rate of post lasik ectasia. Corneal ectasia following lasik surgery causes changes in the shape of the cornea and can lead to decreased vision. Late onset corneal ectasia is rare but may occur in the absence of preoperative corneal risk factors. Objective to prospectively study the effects of the use of intacs microthin prescription inserts addition technology inc, fremont, calif for the postoperative management of corneal ectasia resulting from laser in situ keratomileusis lasik. Lasik xtra can be viewed as an extra safety element for eyes with thin corneas, or requiring high degrees of correc.
Late onset corneal ectasia after lasik surgery sciencedirect. Full text ectasia risk factors in refractive surgery opth. As lasik surgeons, we are all familiar with the potential risks for the development of corneal ectasia after lasik. The peripheral cornea normally shows significant thickening from the central cornea. The patient is wearing a rigid scleral contact lens. Topographical features and surgical parameters of those patients were evaluated. Postlasik ectasia is a condition similar to keratoconus where the cornea starts to bulge forwards at a variable time after lasik, prk, or smile corneal laser eye surgery. Newer treatment modalities have been developed to tackle this rare. Purpose to study the histopathology and ultrastructure of postlasik ectasia corneal buttons and to describe the cohesive tensile strength of normal corneas at. This appears to be an unfortunate case of post lasik ectasia in a patient who is a confirmed highrisk eye rubber. The trip database provides clinical publications about evidence. Corneal ectasia induced by laser in situ keratomileusis. Risks factors for developing post lasik corneal ectasia low residual stromal bed thickness.
Ectasiawhether postlasik or keratoconushas always been an unwelcome occurrence. Original article high myopia as a risk factor for post. In the early years of performing this procedure, we used anecdotal information to define our criteria for exclusion. To identify factors that can lead to corneal ectasia after laser in situ kerato mileusis lasik. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longterm postoperative incidence of and key factors in the genesis of corneal ectasia after myopic laserassisted in situ keratomileusis lasik in a large number of cases. Corneal ectasia is one of the rare yet potentially devastating complications encountered after refractive surgery including laser in situ keratomileusis lasik and. I strongly recommend that anybody considering lasik, do some serious digging into the phenomenon of post lasik ectasia. The rate of ectasia after lasik is uknown due to failure of lasik surgeons to report complications and lack of longterm followup. Although few patients with normal corneal topography develop post lasik ectasia, this surprise complication remains one of the most feared in laser refractive surgery, thanks to its potential to cause visual catastrophe.
Pentacam hr criteria for curvature change in keratoconus. Corneal ectasia after myopic laser in situ keratomileusis. We report the case of a 29yearold man who underwent lasik in both eyes and in whom corneal ectasia developed in the left eye 3 years after surgery. Results in irregular astigmatism with accompanying blurred andor distorted vision. Jan 15, 2006 published january 15, 2006 this is not in after lasik abnormal topography maps, corneal thickness and other measurements can serve as red flags for potential post op ectasia. There are likely several thousand patients suffering from post. Mar 05, 2014 the first phase will establish a database for submission of information on patients who developed ectasia after lasik. Unilateral ectasia after lasik in a patient with abnormal docteur. In this episode of a state of sight, isaac porter, md explains post lasik. Did the patient have signs preoperatively indicating the cornea was irregular. Lasik disasters, lasik complaints, lasik dissatisfaction, refractive surgery in the military. To identify factors that can lead to corneal ectasia after laser in situ kerato. Management of postlasik corneal ectasia with intacs inserts. Apr 15, 2015 corneal ectasia can severely impair vision, especially in the progressive form caused by the inherent structural instability of the cornea.
Abrams fensterman attorneys at law lasik malpractice. This practice unfortunately led to several ectactic surprises despite following what we thought were safe guidelines. Lasik laser refractive surgery lasik is a common procedure to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Corneal ectasia can severely impair vision, especially in the progressive form caused by the inherent structural instability of the cornea. Ideal sources for wikipedia s health content are defined in the guideline wikipedia. Keratectasia has been reported to occur more frequently after retreatments, as. If corneal ectasia develops, there are many options available for treatment before an eye. These types of refractive surgeries are more likely to cause ectasia because of how they disrupt the cornea. Postrefractive surgery ectasia is a loss of corneal integrity leading to corneal warpage that often resembles keratoconus. Combined laser insitu keratomileusis and accelerated corneal. Keratectasia is one of the most feared and dreaded complications of lasik. Post lasik ectasia is a condition similar to keratoconus where the cornea starts to bulge forwards at a variable time after lasik, prk, or smile corneal laser eye surgery. It is more likely to occur following lasik, radial keratotomy rk, or astigmatic keratotomy ak surgery. To evaluate the risk factors for post laser in situ keratomileusis lasik ectasia.
If corneal ectasia develops, there are many options available for treatment before an eye becomes a candidate for penetrating keratoplasty pkp. Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in postlaser in situ. To evaluate the risk factors for postlaser in situ keratomileusis lasik ectasia. Eye freedom after lasik, the cornea has been made thinner.
Corneal ectasia is a rare complication of laser in situ keratomileusis lasik that. Managing and predicting ectasia research continues to reveal more about the efficacy of recently developed options for treating this devastating condition. Post lasik ectasia of the cornea is one of the most severe complications of lasik laser in situ keratomileusis. Previously unpublished postlasik ectasia cases were analyzed. Post lasik ectasia treatment for post lasik side effects. Visual rehabilitation and outcomes for ectasia after corneal refractive. The lasik community has taken the issue very, very seriously. With lasik, patients can achieve 2020 vision or better. A modified risk assessment scoring system for post laser situ.
The first complication will result in wound gape with potential for infection while the latter problem might result in rotation of the intacs with ultimate erosion through the corneal stroma. In the past few years alone, our new jersey malpractice attorneys have had extensive success in lasik malpractice cases, recovering millions of dollars for our clients. Decreasing vision after laserassisted insitu keratomileusis lasik history of present illness. The causes of ectasia are manifold, but a significant rise in post lasik ectasia has been seen. The clinical signs can challenge your detection skillscorneas with subclinical keratoconus are clinically normal in appearance but have subtle irregularities on corneal topography.
Its what many practitioners worry abouta postlasik patient comes in with signs of a thinning, bulging cornea. It is not clear from previous reports4 whether high myopia predisposes to ectasia because of. Over time, the weakened cornea loses its shape and bulges forward, resulting in distorted vision that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses. Rarely in cases of post lasik ectasia the intacs can erode into the plane of the flap. Iatrogenic keratectasia ectasia is one of the most feared and dreaded complications of lasik. You can see the protrusion of the cornea at the weakest spot ectasia, which results in very distorted vision. May 11, 2018 a 33year old gentleman developed ectasia 12 years following an uneventful lasik. This is a pdf file of an unedited manuscript that has. Thats the procedure thats been shown to stop the progression of ectasia, and in the future, as the cornea remodels to improve the overall curvature, it will allow the patient to function better with a soft contact lens instead of a hard lens, he explained. In such cases the intacs should be removed and reinserted deeper. The condition is due to the weakening of the inner layers of the cornea, which occurs during surgery. Ectasia is a known risk of laser vision correction. Although ectasia is a risk more related to lasik than prk, there are good reasons to choose lasik whenever there are the conditions to perform it safely, according to hersh. The u12 files containing the raw data from preoperative pentacam hr oculus.