title: Corneal ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe 7 patients who developed ectasia following laser in situ kerato-mileusis (LASIK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Instituto de la Visión, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study of 7 patients, visual acuity, refraction, pachymetry, and corneal topography were examined before and after the refractive procedure and the occurrence of ectasia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two of the 7 patients required penetrating keratoplasty. Ectasia developed within a mean of 1.02 years +/- 0.31 (SD). The clinical evolution of ectasia and the potential physiopathogenic causes of ectasia are described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ectasia should be considered a potential complication of LASIK that is closely related to corneal thickness, but another variable, the optical zone diameter, should also be considered.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de la Visión, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Argento
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cosentino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tytiun
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rapetti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zarate
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019781:Corneal Topography; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity