Unilateral Corneal Ectasia after Bilateral LASIK: The Thick Flap Counts

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose To report a case of post-LASIK corneal ectasia due to a thick flap, while the contralateral eye did not develop ectasia after an incomplete deep flap cut, followed by a thinner flap LASIK procedure. Methods Case report Results This 45 years old female patient had bilateral myopic LASIK in 1999. Preoperative anterior curvature map was regular with no signs of keratoconus. Central keratometry was 42.88 × 44.70 @ 163 in OD and 43.43 × 45.24 @ 175 in OS. Ultrasound central corneal thickness was 586 μm and 619 μm in the right eye and left eye, respectively. Corneal OCT identified a deep meniscus-shaped LASIK flap, with a central thickness of a 392 μm in the right eye, and an incomplete deep peripheral cut in the left eye with a thinner meniscus-shaped LASIK flap. Conclusion Unilateral ectasia after LASIK may occur due to a thick flap which leads to biomechanical failure of the cornea. How to cite this article Valbon BF, Ambrosio R Jr, Glicéria J, Santos R, Luz A, Alves MR. Unilateral Corneal Ectasia after Bilateral LASIK: The Thick Flap Counts. Int J Kerat Ect Cor Dis 2013;2(2):79-83.