Traumatic epithelial flap detachment after laser subepithelial keratomileusis.
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.
Tsuji
Kazuo
K
Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic, Tokyo, Japan. tsuji@green.ocn.ne.jp
Yamamoto
Takahiro
T
Hori-Komai
Yoshiko
Y
Toda
Ikuko
I
Tsubota
Kazuo
K
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