title: Inadvertent LASIK flap creation over a soft contact lens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the findings and outcomes in two cases in which a contact lens was inadvertently present during creation of a LASIK corneal flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interventional case report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A soft contact lens blocked the successful creation of the corneal flap with a femtosecond laser in one patient. Repeat surgery 1 week later resulted in a normal flap. In the second patient, a thin but normal-shaped flap was successfully created using a microkeratome despite the presence of a soft contact lens in the patient's eye. No adverse effect on vision was noted in either case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Refractive surgeons are encouraged to establish or review current procedures to ensure adequate contact lens removal prior to LASIK surgery, as it may result in an aborted procedure or a potentially thin and/or irregular corneal flap.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Ama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadaka
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cherfan
authors.forename: Samir A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Melki
mesh_terms: D001251:Astigmatism / Q000601:surgery; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000601:surgery; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology