Successful management of retinal tear post-laser in situ keratomileusis retreatment.

PURPOSE: To report a successful case management of a retinal tear post-Laser in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) and retreatment. RESULTS: A patient with the history of ocular trauma underwent LASIK procedure for myopic astigmatism. Three months post-LASIK, she received additional excimer laser treatment for a symptomatic persistent central island. One month later; the patient experienced a flap tear at the edge of a prior chorioretinal scar. Retinal tear repair was successfully accomplished by indirect application of photocoagulation laser without damage to the corneal flap. CONCLUSIONS: To date, no definitive causal relationship has been established between retinal tear(s) and corneal refractive surgery. This report describes a retinal tear and repair, post-LASIK retreatment. The use of the indirect binocular argon laser alleviates the need to compress the LASIK flap and minimizes the potential for creating flap folds and striae, especially in the early post operative period. Clinicians should be on alert to consider this possible complication, post-LASIK and excimer laser; especially within a population whose clinical findings place them at greater risk.