Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Based on a 10-year follow-up study, researchers find that the occurrence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after having LASIK surgery for the correction of near-sightedness is infrequent (0.19 percent). The research is being presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology this week.
The study reports on the largest series to date of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after correction of myopia ≤ 10.00 diopters, its characteristics and its frequency. Researchers followed the clinical charts of 22,296 myopic eyes for a mean of 10 years after the LASIK procedure. Results showed that patients representing 52 percent of the eyes returned for follow-up at 10 years; 22 eyes (19 patients) developed retinal detachment after LASIK, anywhere between 1 month and 13 years.
According to the study, eyes that developed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment had from -1.50 to -9.75 D of myopia before LASIK surgery. The research also reveals that most rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and retinal breaks occur in the temporal quadrants (71.6 percent).
Research presenters recommended that "patients scheduled for refractive surgery undergo a very thorough dilated indirect funduscopy with sclera depression and treatment of any retinal lesion predisposing for the development of a RRD before LASIK surgery should be performed."
Abstract Title: Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment after Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) for Myopia of Up To -10 Diopters: Ten Years of Follow-up
Presentation Start/End Time: Thursday, May 5, 2011; 11:15am – 1pm
Location: Hall B/C
Session Number: 545
# # #