Late bilateral keratectasia after LASIK in a low myopic patient

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of late bilateral ectasia developing after LASIK for low myopia without preoperative risk factors. METHODS: A 21-year-old man underwent bilateral uneventful LASIK for low myopia of -2.75 diopters in both eyes. Preoperative corneal pachymetry was 531 mu m in the right eye and 526 mu m in the left eye. The total ablation depth was 46.8 mu m in the right eye and 42.2 mu m in the left eye. Preoperative corneal topography was normal and did not reveal forme fruste keratoconus. RESULTS: Twenty-four months postoperatively, the patient developed bilateral inferior keratectasia of +0.50 -3.00 X 72 degrees in the right eye and +1.00 -2.75 X 99 degrees in the left eye. CONCLUSIONS: Late keratectasia may follow LASIK for low myopia despite a thorough preoperative work-up.