Protective effect of LASIK flap in penetrating keratoplasty following blunt trauma.

Penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) often results in large and unpredictable refractive errors following suture removal in the postoperative period. Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is an effective means of correcting these errors. However, LASIK following PKP is believed to further weaken an already weak graft-host junction and may predispose such eyes to traumatic dehiscence of the graft-host junction.

Very high-frequency ultrasound analysis of non-contact holmium laser thermal keratoplasty treatment spots.

Purpose: To objectively measure the corneal treatment spots in vivo using very high-frequency ultrasound (VHFU) after non-contact laser thermal keratoplasty (LTK) to better understand the variability and regression of refractive outcomes.

Methods: In an institutional setting, VHFU was performed on 128 spots (8 eyes of 4 patients) using an immersion scanning technique 1 to 2 years after LTK with a single element focused transducer (50 MHz arc scanning ultrasound). Biometric techniques were used to evaluate the treatment spot depth, corresponding corneal thickness, and spot profile between patients, eyes (left/right), and by location on the cornea.