Visual Outcomes After LASIK Using Topography-Guided vs Wavefront-Guided Customized Ablation Systems.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the visual performance of two customized ablation systems (wavefront-guided ablation and topography-guided ablation) in LASIK. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized clinical study, 68 eyes of 35 patients undergoing LASIK were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to wavefront-guided ablation using the iDesign aberrometer and STAR S4 IR Excimer Laser system (Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., Santa Ana, CA) (wavefront-guided group; 32 eyes of 16 patients; age: 29.0 ± 7.3 years) or topography-guided ablation using the OPD-Scan aberrometer and EC-5000 CXII excimer laser system (NIDEK, Tokyo, Japan) (topography-guided group; 36 eyes of 19 patients; age: 36.1 ± 9.6 years). Preoperative manifest refraction was -4.92 ± 1.95 diopters (D) in the wavefront-guided group and -4.44 ± 1.98 D in the topography-guided group. Visual function and subjective symptoms were compared between groups before and 1 and 3 months after LASIK. RESULTS: Of seven subjective symptoms evaluated, four were significantly milder in the wavefront-guided group at 3 months. Contrast sensitivity with glare off at low spatial frequencies (6.3° and 4°) was significantly higher in the wavefront-guided group. Uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, manifest refraction, and higher order aberrations measured by OPD-Scan and iDesign were not significantly different between the two groups at 1 and 3 months after LASIK. CONCLUSIONS: Both customized ablation systems used in LASIK achieved excellent results in predictability and visual function. The wavefront-guided ablation system may have some advantages in the quality of vision. It may be important to select the appropriate system depending on eye conditions such as the pattern of total and corneal higher order aberrations. [J Refract Surg. 2016;32(11):727-732.].

Effects of a New Eyelid Shampoo on Lid Hygiene and Eyelash Length in Patients with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Comparative Open Study.

Purpose. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) can lead to abnormalities in the composition and function of tear film, resulting in dry eye. Eyelid hygiene is a key to management of MGD. We tested a novel eyelid shampoo (Eye Shampoo Long, ESL) for its ability to maintain lid hygiene. This shampoo is nonirritating and can potentially lengthen eyelashes. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ESL in the treatment of MGD and its effects on eyelash length. Methods. Ten patients with MGD and 10 healthy subjects without MGD applied ESL twice daily for 8 weeks. Patients were examined for lid margin and dry eye before and after the trial. Subjective symptoms were evaluated. Eyelash length was measured at baseline and at the end of the trial. Results. In the MGD group, significant improvements were observed in subjective symptoms obstruction of the meibomian orifice, secretion of meibum, eyelashes contamination, eyelid margin foam, and SPK. Eyelash length became significantly longer. Conclusions. Maintaining eyelid hygiene using ESL improved the eyelid margins and symptoms of dry eye in MGD patients and increased eyelash length. These findings are promising and warrant confirmation in a larger randomized controlled study.

Combination therapy with diquafosol tetrasodium and sodium hyaluronate in patients with dry eye after laser in situ keratomileusis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the possible advantages of combination therapy with diquafosol tetrasodium and sodium hyaluronate for dry eye after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). DESIGN: Prospective randomized comparative trial. METHODS: A total of 206 eyes of 105 patients who underwent LASIK were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups according to the postoperative treatment: artificial tears, sodium hyaluronate, diquafosol tetrasodium, and a combination of hyaluronate and diquafosol. Questionnaire responses reflecting subjective dry eye symptoms, uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, functional visual acuity, manifest refraction, tear break-up time, fluorescein corneal staining, Schirmer test, and corneal sensitivity were examined before and 1 week and 1 month after LASIK. RESULTS: Distance uncorrected visual acuity was significantly better in the combination group than in the hyaluronate group 1 week and 1 month after LASIK. Near uncorrected visual acuity was significantly better in the combination group than in the artificial tear and diquafosol groups 1 week and 1 month after LASIK. Distance functional visual acuity improved significantly only in the combination group 1 month after LASIK. The Schirmer value in the combination group was significantly higher than that in the hyaluronate group at 1 month after LASIK. Subjective dry eye symptoms in the combination group improved significantly compared with those in the other groups 1 week after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that hyaluronate and diquafosol combination therapy is beneficial for early stabilization of visual performance and improvement of subjective dry eye symptoms in patients after LASIK.

[Traumatic flap dislocation after laser in situ keratomileusis].

PURPOSE: To report our experience in treating cases of flap dislocation caused by trauma after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We did a retrospective review of the case records of 16,319 patients (31,655 eyes) who underwent LASIK in Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic. Ten eyes of 9 patients were treated for flap dislocation. Conditions of the trauma occurrence, main findings of the eyes, treatments and clinical results are described. RESULTS: Dislocation occurred during a period of 5 days to 4 years after LASIK. Accidents happened when working, when playing with children or pets, or when fighting. The main findings were folds or microstriae, diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK), and epithelial ingrowth, including partial splitting of the flap (1 eye) and only a crack in the epithelium of the flap edge (1 eye). Seven flaps were lifted, irrigated and repositioned, and observed after fitting the patients with soft contact lenses. Three flaps were treated with eye drops of hyaluronic acid only, or with systemic steroids, topical steroids, and antibiotics. Uncorrected visual acuity recovered to more than 1.0 in 7 eyes, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was more than 1.0 in all eyes. However, 3 eyes lost one line and 1 eye lost two lines of BCVA. CONCLUSION: Many cases of flap dislocation showed recovery of good visual acuity with adequate and prompt treatment. However, it is possible to leave irregular astigmatism untreated which has a bad effect on visual acuity, depending on the affected part and the seriousness of the injury. The connection between patient and clinic is important for proper and prompt treatment.

Experience with the Artisan phakic intraocular lens in Asian eyes.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of implantation of an iris-claw phakic intraocular lens (PIOL), Artisan Myopia, in Asian eyes. SETTING: Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic, Tokyo, Japan. METHODS: Forty-four eyes of 32 Japanese patients and 1 Korean patient with high myopia had Artisan Myopia lens implantation to correct their refractive errors. Lens models, 5/8.5 or 6/8.5 (optic diameter/overall diameter), were chosen as standard lens model. A smaller lens model (5/7.5-Artisan Myopia Small) was implanted in eyes with corneal diameter less than 11.0 mm. Postoperative examinations were performed on 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), manifest refraction, corneal endothelial cell counts, intraocular pressure, and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Artisan Myopia Small lenses were implanted in 4 eyes (9.1%) and 8.5 mm diameter lenses were implanted in 40 eyes. Preoperative UCVA (logMAR) improved from 1.57 to 0.09 at 1 month after surgery and no regression was observed thereafter. Postoperative manifest refraction was -1.02 +/- 0.87 D (-3.25 to -0.00 D), and within 1.0 D in 20 eyes (55.6%), within 2.0 D in 32 eyes (88.9%) at 1 month after surgery, and stable during the follow-up period. The final BCVA decreased 2 lines in 2 eyes (4.5%) due to progression of age-related cataract. No serious complications such as angle closure or progressive endothelial cell loss were observed. CONCLUSION: Implantation of an Artisan iris-claw PIOL implantation may be a safe and effective procedure for Asian eyes.

INTACS before or after laser in situ keratomileusis: correction of thin corneas with moderately high myopia.

PURPOSE: Intrastromal corneal ring segments (INTACS Micro-Thin Prescription Inserts by Addition Technologies, Fremont, Calif) were inserted as a combined surgery with laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in six eyes with thin corneas to correct moderately high myopia. METHODS: INTACS were implanted before LASIK (INTACS-LASIK) in three eyes and after LASIK (LASIK-INTACS) in three eyes. Mean preoperative manifest spherical equivalent refraction was -7.88 diopters. Mean follow-up was 306 days. RESULTS: No intraoperative complications occurred. The LASIK-INTACS eyes were slightly more overcorrected than the INTACS-LASIK eyes because of the enhanced performance of INTACS in the thinned corneal tissue. Induced astigmatism by INTACS per se was less in the LASIK-INTACS eyes than in the INTACS-LASIK eyes. At last examination, uncorrected visual acuity was better than 20/25 in all eyes. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was within 1 line of the preoperative value in all eyes. CONCLUSION: Both methods resulted in significant improvement in visual acuity and refraction. Based on our limited experience, however, LASIK followed by INTACS is preferred for reasons of safety, convenience, and lower induced cylinder.

Detection of neutrophils in late-onset interface inflammation associated with flap injury after laser in situ keratomileusis.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case with late-onset interface inflammation associated with traumatic flap injury at 7 months after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and to describe the type of infiltrating cells in the tears of the patient. METHODS: Interventional case report. A 24-year-old male patient who underwent uneventful LASIK on both eyes received blunt trauma from the tip of a shoe in the left eye 7 months after surgery. The corneal flap of his left eye was lacerated across the pupillary area. Inflammatory cells were observed under the lacerated flap segment. Tear fluid was collected from his left eye 3 days after the injury and assessed by tear cytology. For controls, tears of 2 patients who underwent LASIK and developed no interface inflammation were collected the next day after their surgeries and examined. RESULTS: Tear fluid of the patient with interface inflammation contained numerous neutrophils. Tears of control patients contained only a few epithelial cells and cell debris but no inflammatory cells. The inflammation was decreased by systemic and topical steroids. However, irregular astigmatism caused by stromal scarring remained, resulting in decreased best-corrected visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Interface inflammation can be caused by late-onset flap injury. Neutrophils detected in the tears may reflect a major component of cells infiltrating the interface after LASIK.

Risk factors for development of diffuse lamellar keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the risk factors and mechanisms of diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). METHODS: In 5708 eyes of 2927 patients who underwent LASIK, the patient's background, clinical findings, and surgical data were retrospectively evaluated and compared with patients who had DLK and those who did not (non-DLK group). RESULTS: DLK occurred in 46 of 5708 eyes (0.81%). DLK occurred more frequently in eyes operated with the MK-2000 microkeratome (1.1%) than with the LSK-One microkeratome (0.6%; P = .039). Corneal endothelial cell density (2686.8 +/- 235.3/mm2) was significantly lower in eyes that developed DLK than in eyes without DLK (2783.8 +/- 275.5/mm2; P = .017). The width of palpebral fissure in a normal state and the maximum opening position were significantly larger in the DLK group (10.3 +/- 1.9 mm and 18.1 +/- 7.2 mm, respectively) than the non-DLK group (8.3 +/- 1.6 mm with P < .001; 11.5 +/- 2.0 mm with P = .012). CONCLUSIONS: The type of microkeratome, lower corneal endothelial cell density, and larger palpebral fissure were potential risk factors for DLK after LASIK. These factors may be associated with delayed wound healing of the corneal flap margin, resulting in poor sealing of the flap, which may induce the influx of inflammatory cells.