Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis for correction of astigmatism and increasing contact lens tolerance after penetrating keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: To determine effectiveness of laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in the treatment of astigmatism following penetrating keratoplasty (PK).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of medical records of patients who underwent LASIK following PK and had over 1 year of follow-up data.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients (26 pairs of eyes) underwent LASIK following PK. Mean age of the patients at the time of LASIK was 40.7 years (range, 26 to 72 years). Following LASIK, the mean cylinder was reduced by 2.4 diopters and mean reduction of cylinder after LASIK was 65.4% from the preoperative values at the last follow-up visit. Uncorrected visual acuity became 20 / 50 or better in 69.2% of the eyes after LASIK. Best-corrected visual acuity became 20 / 50 or better in 73.1% of the eyes after LASIK. All of them were intolerable to contact lenses before LASIK. After LASIK, 6 pairs (23.1%) did not need to use contact lenses and 18 pairs (69.2%) were tolerable to using contact lenses or spectacles. There were no significant endothelial cell density changes 12 months after LASIK (p = 0.239).

CONCLUSIONS

LASIK is effective in the treatment of astigmatism following PK and increases contact lens and spectacle tolerance.