Abstract
Purpose: :
To report twelve cases of subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes (CNV) in highly myopic eyes (> 8 diopters [D]) after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). As far as we know, this is the largest series of CNV after LASIK reported to date in highly myopic eyes.
Methods: :
Multicenter retrospective case series at four institutions in Colombia, Spain, and Venezuela. We reviewed the medical records and obtained follow-up information on all patients in our files with vitreo-retinal complications of LASIK between March 1997 to March 2003 at four centers in Colombia, Spain, and Venezuela. Preoperative and postoperative examinations including dilated funduscopy with indirect ophthalmoscopy, and contact or non-contact biomicroscopic evaluation of the fundus were performed by a retina specialist and/or a refractive surgeon. A total of 3,769 LASIK procedures (eyes) were performed during the study period (6 years) for the correction of myopia > 8 diopters. Patients underwent surgical correction of myopia ranging from -8.50 to -23.00 D (mean: -12.28 D). Patients were scheduled to be seen during the first postoperative day, at 3 months, at 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Patients were followed for a minimum of 6 years.
Results: :
We found 12 eyes (11 patients) with CNV after LASIK in highly myopic eyes (12/3,769) for a prevalence of 0.3%. Ten (90.9%) of patients were female with a mean age of 42 (range: 27-60). Myopia in our patients with CNV had a mean of -13.5 D (range: -8:50 D to -17.00 D). Choroidal neovascularization occurred at a mean of 25.4 months (range: 1 to 60 months) after LASIK.
Conclusions: :
Choroidal neovascularization may infrequently develop after LASIK in high myopes. No cause-effect relationship between LASIK and CNV formation could be established.
Keywords: myopia • refractive surgery: LASIK • choroid: neovascularization