title: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in myopic eyes after laser in situ keratomileusis. Frequency, characteristics, and mechanism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the characteristics and frequency of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for the correction of myopia in a large case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private practices, Caracas, Venezuela.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five refractive surgeons and 31 739 myopic eyes that had surgical correction of a mean myopia of -6.01 diopters (D) (range -0.75 to -29.00 D) participated in this study. Laser in situ keratomileusis was performed in all eyes. Patients were followed for a mean of 36 months (range 6 to 48 months). The clinical charts of patients who developed RRD after LASIK were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty eyes (17 patients) developed RRD after LASIK. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments occurred a mean of 13.9 months (range 1 to 36 months) after LASIK. The mean pre-LASIK myopia in eyes that developed an RRD was -7.02 D (range -1.50 to -16.00 D). Most RRDs and retinal breaks occurred in the temporal quadrants (71.4%). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments were managed with vitrectomy, cryoretinopexy, scleral buckling, argon laser retinopexy, or pneumatic retinopexy techniques. The frequency of RRD after LASIK was 0.06%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after LASIK for the correction of myopia is infrequent. If managed promptly, RRD will result in good vision. Before LASIK is performed, patients should have a thorough dilated indirect fundoscopy with scleral depression and treatment of any retinal lesion predisposing to the development of an RRD.
authors.affiliation: Retina and Vitreous Service, Clinica Oftalmologica Centro Caracas, Caracas, Venezuela. areval1@telcel.net.ve
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Arevalo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cortez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antzoulatos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morales-Stopello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Vivas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D003452:Cryosurgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000009:adverse effects*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012591:Scleral Buckling; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy