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Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in myopic eyes after laser in situ keratomileusis

2001; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 27; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0886-3350(01)00821-5

1873-4502

Fernando J. Arévalo, Ernesto Ramírez, Enrique Suárez, Rafael Cortez, George Antzoulatos, Julian Morales-Stopello, Gema Ramírez, Francia Torres, Rafael Gonzalez-Vivas,

Ophthalmology and Visual Impairment Studies

Purpose: To report the characteristics and frequency of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for the correction of myopia in a large case series. Setting: Private practices, Caracas, Venezuela. Methods: Five refractive surgeons and 31 739 myopic eyes that had surgical correction of a mean myopia of –6.01 diopters (D) (range −0.75 to −29.00 D) participated in this study. Laser in situ keratomileusis was performed in all eyes. Patients were followed for a mean of 36 months (range 6 to 48 months). The clinical charts of patients who developed RRD after LASIK were reviewed. Results: Twenty eyes (17 patients) developed RRD after LASIK. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments occurred a mean of 13.9 months (range 1 to 36 months) after LASIK. The mean pre-LASIK myopia in eyes that developed an RRD was –7.02 D (range –1.50 to –16.00 D). Most RRDs and retinal breaks occurred in the temporal quadrants (71.4%). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments were managed with vitrectomy, cryoretinopexy, scleral buckling, argon laser retinopexy, or pneumatic retinopexy techniques. The frequency of RRD after LASIK was 0.06%. Conclusions: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after LASIK for the correction of myopia is infrequent. If managed promptly, RRD will result in good vision. Before LASIK is performed, patients should have a thorough dilated indirect fundoscopy with scleral depression and treatment of any retinal lesion predisposing to the development of an RRD.