Disseminated lamellar keratitis after excimer laser correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism: 6 months of observation

Abstract

This study explores the incidence and characteristics of disseminated lamellar keratitis (DLK) following excimer laser correction (ELC) for myopia and myopic astigmatism over a six-month period. We monitored 180 patients (360 eyes) who underwent either LASIK or FemtoLASIK. The incidence of DLK at one week was 4.95% for LASIK and 6.74% for FemtoLASIK, decreasing to 0.55% and 0% respectively by six months. Clinical manifestations were similar across both procedures, with mild corneal syndrome and reduced visual acuity observed. Notably, 38.46% of DLK cases had a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings highlight the need for further research into DLK's etiological factors and its association with systemic conditions like SARS-CoV-2.