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Yonsei Med J. 2008 Aug;49(4):662-665.
Published online 2008 August 30.  doi: 10.3349/ymj.2008.49.4.662.
Copyright © 2008 The Yonsei University College of Medicine
Delayed Epithelial Ingrowth Caused by Viral Conjunctivitis after LASIK
Roo Min Jun,1 Wool Suh,1 and Eung Kweon Kim2
1Department of Ophthalmology School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
2Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, BK21 Project Team of Nanobiomaterials for Cell-based Implants, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

Reprint address: requests to Dr. Eung Kweon Kim, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. Tel. 82-2-2228-3577, Fax: 82-2-312-0541, Email: eungkkim@yuhs.ac
Received November 01, 2007; Accepted December 18, 2007.

Abstract

To report a patient who presented with epithelial ingrowth caused by viral keratoconjunctivitis 3 months after LASIK surgery. A 41-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity in the right eye, which had developed about 3 weeks before. He had undergone LASIK surgery 3 months prior without complications. Two months after the surgery, he was treated for viral conjunctivitis. During the treatment period, filamentary keratitis developed, and a therapeutic bandage contact lens was applied for 2 weeks. Upon presentation, examination revealed a corrected visual acuity of 20/100 and irregular epithelial sheets under the edematous flap. The flap was lifted, and the in-grown epithelium was removed. The flap was repositioned with double continuous 10 - 0 nylon sutures. Post-operatively, the patient developed a mild diffuse lamellar keratitis that resolved rapidly with topical corticosteroid treatment. At 2 months, the corrected visual acuity was 20/20 without interface opacities. As the patient showed no complications prior to viral conjunctivitis, we suspect that the viral infection caused edema of the corneal flap, which caused epithelial ingrowth under the flap. Patients who have viral conjunctivitis after LASIK surgery should be examined carefully and managed with consideration of flap complications.

Keywords: Epithelial ingrowth, laser in situ keratomileusis, viral conjunctivitis.

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