If you are considering LASIK surgery to correct for near or far-sightedness, you are probably researching the pros and cons of the surgery, as well as possible problems and concerns that might occur post-surgery. One of these concerns is the possibility of recurrent corneal erosion, or RCE, following .
What is the Cornea?
Your cornea is a clear, convex membrane that curves over the outer surface of your eye, protecting the iris and pupil and extending out into the sclera, or white, of your eye.
What is LASIK Surgery?
LASIK, or Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is refractive surgery on the eye to reshape your cornea and correct your vision via better light refraction. The near-sighted, far-sighted and even some astigmatics can benefit from LASIK surgery, which is an office procedure. It often takes about five minutes and is done under local anesthetic.
How Does LASIK Surgery Work?
Your surgeon uses an instrument called a microkeratome to cut a thin, circular flap in your cornea. He then folds this flap of cornea out of the way to remove some of the corneal material underneath and reshape minute pieces of epithelial tissue, using an excimer laser. Once the reshaping is done, the flap of cornea is then replaced.
Post-Operative Complications
Complications can include infection and night glare. Initial vision improvement followed by gradual worsening (regression) is rare, and may require additional surgery. If the LASIK incision in the cornea is made incorrectly, the flap may fail to adhere when returned to the eye's surface, creating wrinkles or folds in the flap called corneal striae. This irregularly shaped eye surface requires further surgery. The April 2006 issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology noted that flap complications occur in 0.3 to 5.7 percent of all LASIK procedures.
Recurrent Corneal Erosion
LASIK surgery may also cause recurrent corneal erosion (RCE) syndrome, which happens when the cornea fails to attach itself properly to the eye. Studies by the Japanese Journal of Ophthalmic Surgery and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center show that RCE may be triggered by epithelial trauma during LASIK procedures.
Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment of RCE
Symptoms of RCE include acute eye pain, the feeling of something in your eye, light sensitivity and tears. To help prevent RCE, adequate irrigation of the corneal surface should be used throughout the surgery, and careful attention paid when the flap is replaced after reshaping.
Treatment to help the cornea to reconnect normally may include a therapeutic contact lens, a controlled puncturing of the eye's surface layer and further LASIK surgery. Patients should understand RCE is a potential complication before consenting to surgery.
Tags: LASIK surgery, cornea then, corneal erosion, flap cornea, LASIK procedures, recurrent corneal