LASIK offers good long-term results for high myopes

LASIK for myopia over -10 D is both safe and effective in the long-term, according to a report published in the January issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

Jorge Alio of the Miguel Hernandez University Medical School, Alicante, and of the VISSUM, Instituto Oftalmologico de Alicante, Spain and colleagues from Ankara University of Medicine, Turkey enrolled 196 highly myopic eyes of 118 patients who, preoperatively, required at least 10 D corrections in order to achieve 20/20 vision. All patients were available to follow-up 10 years after initial surgery.

Prior to surgery, uncorrected vision was 77% of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Just 5% of eyes lost more than 2 lines BCVA, 40% were able to avoid wearing spectacles and 61% were within ±2 D at 10 years. Only two eyes (1%) developed corneal ectasia.

This study demonstrates that LASIK can offer excellent results in terms of predictability, efficacy and safety for highly myopic patients over the long-term.