Comparison of Clinical Results of LASIK with Different Flap Thicknesses

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of corneal flap thickness on visual prognosis and complications in LASIK. METHODS: A total of 251 eyes of 129 patients who had been followed up for 6 months or more after LASIK were evaluated retrospectively. The eyes were classified into two groups: group A of 34 eyes with corneal flap thickness of 100 m or less and group B of 217 eyes with corneal flap thickness of more than 100 m. Clinical outcomes, including uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spherical equivalent (SE), myopic regression and complications, were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In groups A and B, UCVA improved from 0.08 +/- 0.04 and 0.08 +/- 0.02 before surgery to 0.84 +/- 16 and 0.88 +/- 21 6 months after surgery, and SE changed from -6.36 +/- 2.46D and 6.07 +/- 2.81D to 0.29 +/- 0.72D and -0.17 +/- 0.81D 6 months after surgery, respectively, but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. BCVA, myopic regression and the incidence of complications also did not show any statistical difference. CONCLUSIONS: LASIK can be performed safely under thin corneal flaps of 100 m or less to leave enough residual corneal thickness.