title: Refractive surgery in patients with high myopic anisometropia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of LASIK in patients with high myopic anisometropia and to provide specific screening guidelines for anisometropic patients undergoing refractive surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six eyes of 16 patients with high myopic anisometropia (>3.0 diopters) were enrolled in this study. Complete pre- and postoperative ophthalmologic and orthoptic examinations were performed. The preoperative orthoptic examination was done with glasses and contact lenses. Twenty-two eyes of 13 patients underwent uncomplicated LASIK; the second eye was treated 2 weeks after the first eye. Patients were examined 1 day, 7 days, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients obtaining good results at red glass bar test (RGB) underwent LASIK without postoperative diplopia; four showed an improvement of the sensorial assessment. Three patients were excluded from surgery because of diplopia with RGB values <4 to 5. LASIK temporarily induced diplopia in the suppressed eye of one patient; however, the diplopia disappeared after surgery of the fixating eye.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with high myopic anisometropia and a weak sensorial state who undergo refractive surgery may be at risk for postoperative diplopia. We suggest clinical guidelines to reduce the occurrence of this complication.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buzzonetti
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dickmann
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rebecchi
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrocelli
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balestrazzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015858:Anisometropia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity