Thin-flap laser in situ keratomileusis with femtosecond-laser technology

Abstract

To evaluate the results of thin-flap laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using a femtosecond-laser platform for flap creation. Institute of Vision and Optics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. Prospective interventional case series. Patients had LASIK with the FS200 femtosecond laser for flap creation and the Allegretto Wave Eye-Q excimer laser. Flap thickness was set at 105 μm. All eyes were examined 1 month postoperatively. Flap thickness was assessed with anterior segment optical coherence tomography using the manual flap tool at 5 locations on a horizontal B scan. This study comprised 50 eyes of 25 patients (mean age 28 years ±5.72 [SD]); 42 eyes completed 6 months of follow-up. Preoperatively, the mean sphere was -3.61 ± 1.87 diopters (D) and the mean cylinder, -1.08 ± 1.23 D. Six months postoperatively, no eye lost lines of corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), 29% gained 1 line, and 7% gained 2 lines. The mean spherical equivalent was -0.03 ± 0.42 D (range -0.88 to +0.88 D); 86% had an uncorrected distance visual acuity of 20/20 or better. The mean central flap thickness at 1 month was 102.98 ± 6.33 μm (range 91 to 114 μm). There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. No significant complications occurred after treatment with this new femtosecond-laser platform in thin-flap LASIK. Clinical (visual and refractive) results were satisfactory in terms of safety, predictability, and stability.