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Purpose: To compare short-term refractive and visual acuity outcomes after topography-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) planned with a new topography analysis system to those based on the manifest refraction. Setting: Four clinical sites in the United States. Design: Double-arm, nonmasked, nonrandomized retrospective chart review. Methods: This was a retrospective study of postoperative refraction and visual acuity at least 2 months after uneventful LASIK using the Contoura Vision algorithm on the WaveLight Topolyzer VARIO laser. One arm comprised eyes treated using the manifest refraction (manifest), while the other included eyes treated with an ablation profile determined by the Phorcides Analytic Engine (analytic). Results: Clinical results from a matched group of 317 manifest eyes and 323 analytic eyes were available for analysis. Residual refractive results, both sphere and cylinder, were similar between groups. However, significantly more eyes had 20/16 or better (-0.1 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) (62.5% analytic, 41.3% manifest) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) (77.1% analytic, 51.4% manifest) in the analytic group. All eyes but 1 had a CDVA of 20/20 or better postoperatively. The number of patients with a UDVA better than their preoperative CDVA was significantly higher in the analytic group (36.5%) relative to the manifest group (23.0%). No eye in either group lost more than 1 line of CDVA; significantly more eyes in the analytic group (42.7%) gained 1 or more lines of CDVA relative to the manifest group (30.3%). Conclusions: Using the Phorcides Analytic Engine for topography-guided surgery planning increased the likelihood of 20/16 UDVA and CDVA relative to using the manifest refraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the constellation of subjective and objective findings associated with unusual occurrences of photosensitivity after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with femtosecond flap creation and identify optimal management strategies. Methods: Demographic data, laser settings, subjective complaints, clinical findings, treatment, and response to treatment were recorded for suspected cases of transient postoperative photosensitivity from 3 surgeons operating at 3 different sites. All cases were estimated for the period covering the suspected cases at each site to assess incidence. Additional cases were solicited from IntraLase users via a survey. Results: For the 3 sites, 63 eyes from 33 patients were reported of a total estimated case log of 5667 (incidence, 1.1%). Average age was 41 years, and 51.7% of patients were women. Onset of symptoms ranged from 2 to 6 weeks after uneventful LASIK. All patients were treated with prednisolone acetate drops, whereas 1 surgeon also used Restasis (cyclosporine ophthalmic solution 0.05%). Patients noted improvement of symptoms within 1 week of treatment. When the raster and side-cut energy settings were lowered (by an average of 24% and 33%, respectively), significant reductions in incidence were noted. Similar findings were reported by 3 additional surgeons reporting 17 cases in the survey of IntraLase users. Conclusions: This report describes a new complication of LASIK performed with a femtosecond laser keratome that may be related to the pulse energy used for flap creation. Although there is no loss of uncorrected visual acuity, symptoms can be prolonged, especially without prompt steroid therapy. Technical advances that reduced pulse energies appear to decrease the incidence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To compare laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) results obtained with the femtosecond laser (IntraLase Corp.) to those obtained using 2 popular mechanical microkeratomes.Setting: Private practice, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.Methods: This retrospective analysis compared LASIK outcomes with the femtosecond laser to those with the Carriazo-Barraquer (CB) microkeratome (Moria, Inc.) and the Hansatome® microkeratome (Bausch & Lomb, Inc.). The 3 groups were matched for enrollment criteria and were operated on under similar conditions by the same surgeon.Results: There were 106 eyes in the IntraLase group, 126 eyes in the CB group, and 143 eyes in the Hansatome group. One day postoperatively, the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) results in the 3 groups were similar; at 3 months, the UCVA and the best spectacle-corrected visual acuity results were not significantly different. A manifest spheroequivalent of ±0.50 diopter (D) was achieved in 91% of eyes in the IntraLase group, 73% of eyes in the CB group, and 74% of eyes in the Hansatome group (P<.01). IntraLase flaps were significantly thinner (P<.01) and varied less in thickness (P<.01) than flaps created with the other devices. The mean flap thickness was 114 μm ± 14 (SD) with the IntraLase programmed for a 130 μm depth, 153 ± 26 μm with the CB using a 130 μm plate, and 156 ± 29 μm with the Hansatome using a 180 μm plate. Loose epithelium was encountered in 9.6% of eyes in the CB group and 7.7% of eyes in the Hansatome group but in no eye in the IntraLase group (P = .001). Surgically induced astigmatism in sphere corrections was significantly less with the IntraLase than with the other devices (P<.01).Conclusions: The IntraLase demonstrated more predictable flap thickness, better astigmatic neutrality, and decreased epithelial injury than 2 popular mechanical microkeratomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dysfunctional tear syndrome (DTS) is a common and complex condition affecting the ocular surface. The health and normal functioning of the ocular surface is dependent on a stable and sufficient tear film. Clinician awareness of conditions affecting the ocular surface has increased in recent years because of expanded research and the publication of diagnosis and treatment guidelines pertaining to disorders resulting in DTS, including the Delphi panel treatment recommendations for DTS (2006), the International Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS) (2007), the Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) Workshop (2011), and the updated Preferred Practice Pattern guidelines from the American Academy of Ophthalmology pertaining to dry eye and blepharitis (2013). Since the publication of the existing guidelines, new diagnostic techniques and treatment options that provide an opportunity for better management of patients have become available. Clinicians are now able to access a wealth of information that can help them obtain a differential diagnosis and treatment approach for patients presenting with DTS. This review provides a practical and directed approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with DTS, emphasizing treatment that is tailored to the specific disease subtype as well as the severity of the condition.

Purpose of Review: Methods of flap creation have changed over the years from the evolution of the mechanical microkeratome to the introduction of the IntraLase femtosecond laser keratome, both of which have different mechanisms of action to create corneal resections. Previous studies report the advantages and disadvantages of the mechanical microkeratome and the IntraLase femtosecond laser. The critical components in laser in-situ keratomileusis surgery remain the same, however: safety, efficiency, predictability, and biomechanical stability., Recent Findings: Keratoectasia and flap efficiency remain a constant safety concern in laser in-situ keratomileusis surgery. Unexpectedly thick flaps as well as variable thickness continue to be a concern with safety in relation to microkeratome technology. Epithelial preservation, flap complications, and newer issues such as Transient Light Sensitivity Syndrome are safety concerns of flap creation. Improved outcomes with regards to vision, induced astigmatism, induced higher-order aberrations, and enhancement rates are seen to favor predictability of femtosecond technologies over the microkeratome. Recent biomechanical studies show improved healing with femtosecond laser flap creation compared with blade-assisted flap creation., Summary: The aim of this review is to summarize the key components for both the microkeratome and the femtosecond laser and to update on the recent advances reported on these topics.