The Incidence, Concurrent Factors and Clinical Results of Reoperation after Corneal Refractive Surgeries

To determine the incidence, concurrent factors and clinical results of re-operation after corneal refractive surgeries. In this retrospective descriptive study records of all patients undergoing corneal refractive surgeries including PRK, LASIK, and LASEK between April 2005 and December 2006 were assessed. Patients who had undergone re-operations entered the study; visual acuity with and without correction, and refraction before and after the operation were analyzed. Out of 10,311 eyes of 5,257 patients, 63 eyes (0.6%) underwent one or more re-operations. The mean duration between the first and second operation was 11620 days. Mean±SD spherical equivalent refractive error before the first operation in re-operated eyes was -4.40±3.17 D (ranging from -14.25 to +5.88 D), -4.58±3.25 D (ranging from -14.25 to +5.18 D) in the LASIK group, and -2.73 to±1.61 D (ranging from -5.13 to 0.8 D) in the PRK group. Mean±SD of spherical equivalent refractive error of these patients before re-operation was -1.13±1.97 D (ranging from -4.25 to +3 D). This mean value was -1.25±1.71 D (ranging from -4.25 to +3.00 D) and -0.45±1.7 D (ranging from -2.75 to +1.5 D) in the LASIK and PRK groups respectively. Before re-operation, only 30% of re-operation candidates had visual acuity of 20/40 or better while all of them reached this level of visual acuity after re-operation. Laser corneal refractive re-operation can be a safe and efficient alternative for treatment of residual refractive errors after previous photorefractive surgery and the low prevalence and incidence of re-operation among Iranian patients can be a sign of suitable nomograms used in patients of Iranian descent.