title: Diffuse lamellar keratitis in the femtosecond-assisted LASIK flap tunnel.
abstract: Here we report a case of a 29-year-old myopic female who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and, on the first postoperative day slit-lamp examination revealed a dense, white, granular reaction with the presence of some blood droplets (stage I diffuse lamellar keratitis [DLK]) in her left eye, specifically localized into the femtosecond LASIK flap tunnel (not extended to the flap interface). The patient received intensive treatment with topical corticosteroids and 5 days later the granular reaction had completely resolved. A new site of DLK, ie, the flap tunnel, in femtosecond-assisted LASIK is presented. DLK into the flap tunnel could be managed with corticosteroids if detected early, without affecting the flap interface.
authors.affiliation: Vardinoyiannion Eye Institute of Crete, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece ; Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kymionis
authors.affiliation: Vardinoyiannion Eye Institute of Crete, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Tsoulnaras
authors.affiliation: Vardinoyiannion Eye Institute of Crete, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Tsakalis
authors.affiliation: Vardinoyiannion Eye Institute of Crete, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Grentzelos
keywords: corneal vascularization; diffuse lamellar keratitis; femtosecond; flap; laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis; tunnel