Late-onset laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap dehiscence during retinal detachment surgery

PURPOSE: To report a case of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap dehiscence during retinal detachment surgery 7 months after uneventful refractive surgery. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 47-year-old man noticed a defect of the upper visual field in his right eye 7 months after a LASIK procedure. The fundus showed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, and a scleral buckling procedure was performed. During the buckling procedure, the corneal flap became detached. RESULTS: At completion of the buckling procedure, the detached corneal flap was carefully raised and the ex. posed corneal stroma was cleansed of any residual epithelial cells or red blood cells with irrigation using balanced salt solution. One day after the operation, the LASIK flap was repositioned, the cornea had cleared, and the retina was reattached. CONCLUSIONS: As LASIK increases in popularity, the complication we have reported may become more common. We suggest that a retinal detachment surgery should be performed with careful avoidance of corneal trauma even if a long time has passed since the LASIK procedure. (C) 2002 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.