title: Association of surgeon experience with outcomes of femtosecond LASIK.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine effect of surgeon experience on outcomes of LASIK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series of myopic femtosecond LASIK performed by residents and fellows compared to an attending surgeon, with mean follow-up of 6.6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-two eyes (38 patients) had LASIK performed by a trainee and 157 eyes (83 patients) by an attending surgeon. There were no statistically significant preoperative differences. The attending surgeon had lower mean flap thickness (P = .0001), but ablation depth and residual stromal bed were similar. Postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity was significantly better in the experienced surgeon group on the first postoperative day (P = .0203). Postoperative findings of microstriae (P < .0001) and interface debris (P = .0034) were more common with trainee-performed LASIK.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual outcomes are excellent after femtosecond LASIK performed by trainees and experienced surgeons. Early postoperative complications are more common in trainee-performed LASIK, but are not visually significant. Resident and fellow LASIK surgical training with a comprehensive refractive curriculum under the guidance of an experienced surgeon is safe and appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. ronim@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Roni M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Shtein
authors.forename: Monica M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Michelotti
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Shahzad I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Mian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000601:surgery; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology