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 μm in the right eye and 526 μm in the left eye. The total ablation depth was 46.8 μm in the right eye and 42.2 μm 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 × 72° in the right eye and +1.00 -2.75 × 99° in the left eye. CONCLUSIONS: Late keratectasia may follow LASIK for low myopia despite a thorough preoperative work-up.