Traumatic corneal flap dislocation one to six years after LASIK in nine eyes with a favorable outcome

PURPOSE: To report our experience treating eye trauma after LASIK refractive surgery. METHODS: Nine eyes of eight patients (one woman and seven men) were treated for ocular trauma: blunt trauma (n = 5), sharp instrument trauma (n = 2,) and trauma from inflation of automobile air bags during a traffic accident (n = 2). The time from LASIK varied between 3 months and 6 years. All patients were hospitalized as a result of severe decrease in visual acuity and pain. RESULTS: Seven of nine LASIK flaps had some degree of dislocation and were lifted, irrigated, and repositioned. Two flaps were edematous without dislocation. Intensive topical steroids and antibiotics were used in all patients up to 3 weeks after trauma. Three months after trauma, five eyes regained their pre-trauma visual acuity (between 20/20 and 20/40), and three eyes lost one line of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma occurring several months or years after LASIK may cause flap injury. Adequate and prompt treatment usually is successful.