What is corneal ectasia after LASIK?
Post-refractive surgery ectasia is a loss of corneal integrity leading to corneal warpage that often resembles keratoconus. It is more likely to occur following LASIK, radial keratotomy (RK), or astigmatic keratotomy (AK) surgery.
What causes ectasia after LASIK?
Experts believe that post-LASIK ectasia is caused by removing too much corneal tissue during LASIK surgery. When this happens, the remaining corneal tissue, or “residual corneal bed,” ends up being too thin, in turn weakening the cornea and allowing it to bulge under normal eye pressure.
What does Keratectasia mean?
Definitions of keratectasia. abnormal bulging of the cornea of the eye. type of: astigmatism, astigmia. (ophthalmology) impaired eyesight resulting usually from irregular conformation of the cornea; common in nearsighted people.
How do you fix ectasia?
The most effective way to treat post-surgical ectasia is with gas permeable (GP) scleral lenses. Unlike standard contact lenses, GP lenses are rigid. They maintain their shape on the eye, where soft lenses conform to the surface of the cornea.
Can corneal ectasia cause blindness?
A healthy cornea is essential to maintain clear vision. Although rare, corneal ectasia is a sight-threatening condition that can cause permanent damage to the eye.
How long does it take to recover from Contoura vision?
Full recovery varies by patient, and it may take three to six weeks for your vision to fully stabilize.
What is Ectatic?
ectasis. n. (Pathology) pathol the distension or dilation of a duct, vessel, or hollow viscus. ecˈtatic adj.
What is posterior keratoconus?
Posterior keratoconus (PKC) is a rare, typically non-inflammatory condition that is characterised by an abnormal posterior corneal curvature, which may be accompanied by overlying stromal opacification. It is usually congenital and can be associated with other ocular and systemic abnormalities.
How common is corneal ectasia?
Ectasia is a rare complication of corneal refractive surgery, occurring in just 0.04% to 0.6% of procedures.
What does it mean to have ectasia after LASIK?
Definition. Corneal ectasia is one of the most devastating complications after Laser In situ Keratomileusis (LASIK). Post-LASIK ectasia is considered in patients who developed increasing myopia, with or without increasing astigmatism, loss of uncorrected visual acuity, often loss of best-corrected visual acuity, with keratometric steepening,…
Can you wear contact lens with cornea ectasia?
The scan below shows the cornea of a patient who developed ectasia after LASIK. The patient is wearing a rigid scleral contact lens. You can see the protrusion of the cornea at the weakest spot (ectasia), which results in very distorted vision. Glasses and soft contact lenses are ineffective on an eye such as this.
What is the average thickness of the cornea before LASIK?
Corneal thickness before LASIK varies between individuals, with an average of approximately 540 microns. The LASIK flap is generally intended for 160 – 180 microns in thickness, which is about thirty percent of the original thickness of the cornea. It is known that actual flap thickness varies from intended thickness.
What happens to the cornea after LASIK surgery?
LASIK permanently thins and weakens the cornea, which may lead to progressive steepening or bulging (ectasia) of the cornea with associated deterioration of vision.