title: Traumatic epithelial flap detachment after laser subepithelial keratomileusis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of corneal epithelial flap detachment 20 days after laser subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK).
  
  
  METHODS
  A 30-year-old man underwent LASEK for correction of myopia. On postoperative day 8, he was comfortable and the corneal epithelium healed completely with uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) of 20/20. On postoperative day 20, the corneal epithelial flap on the right eye detached and was lost during pressure patching after puncture of the hordeolum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The corneal defect was treated with a bandage contact lens, levofloxacin, and hyaluronic acid eye drops. Ten days after detachment, UCVA had improved to 20/20 and the epithelium had closed completely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mild trauma can cause epithelial flap detachment during the early postoperative period of LASEK.
authors.affiliation: Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic, Tokyo, Japan. tsuji@green.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hori-Komai
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013524:Surgical Flaps