PURPOSE To report the intraoperative management of incomplete microkeratome LASIK flaps. DESIGN Small, retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS Five outpatients. METHODS In 5 eyes of 5 patients, the premature stop of the microkeratome resulting from mechanical obstacles resulted in an incomplete flap that would not allow for the completion of the LASIK proce...

PURPOSE To determine the cutting characteristics of seven different microkeratomes and to compare the cut edges and surface characteristics of the corneas with respect to different keratome parameters, ie, blade oscillation frequencies and keratome speed. METHODS Lamellar keratectomies were performed using each microkeratome on eight freshly enucleated porcine corneas. The freshly cut corneal...

PURPOSE To assess and compare the morphology of laser in situ keratomileusis flaps (LASIK) created by a 60 kHz femtosecond laser and a mechanical microkeratome. SETTING Department of Ophthalmology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. METHODS Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) (Visante) was used to assess 1 week postoperatively the morphology of...

PURPOSE To review the most commonly encountered laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) microkeratome-related complications, and the most up-to-date methods in their prevention and treatment. METHODS A review of microkeratome-related complications including epithelial complications, bleeding, thin flap, button hole, free cap, incomplete pass, and corneal perforation was conducted. The most recen...

FEBRUARY 2010 CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY TODAY 49 MARK E. JOHNSTON, MD, FRCSC The three primary concerns with any microkeratome are safety, results, and cost. My colleagues and I have used the IntraLase FS laser (Abbott Medical Optics Inc., Santa Ana, CA) in more than 1,000 cases and the Zyoptix XP microkeratome (Technolas Perfect Vision, Saint Louis, MO) in over 10,000 cases. Both procedure...

PURPOSE To compare clinical outcomes between the IntraLase femtosecond laser and the mechanical microkeratome for creating flaps during laser in situ keratomileusis. DESIGN Nonrandomized clinical trial. METHODS The study involved a total of 55 eyes of 30 patients, with 27 eyes of 16 patients comprising the microkeratome group and 28 eyes of 14 patients comprising the IntraLase group. Refrac...

PURPOSE To compare the mean change in aberrations produced by a mechanical microkeratome and femtosecond laser. METHODS This was a retrospective study of 62 consecutive near emmetropic eyes that underwent LASIK and satisfied the following criteria: negligible laser ablation (for spherical equivalent of 0.00 to +0.50 diopters and maximum meridian of +0.50 diopters), and preoperative and at lea...

PURPOSE To evaluate the thickness and side-cut angle of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flaps created by 1 of 3 femtosecond lasers or a microkeratome using Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). SETTING Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Vision Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. DESIGN Comparative case series. METHODS Flap creation for b...

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 ...

Microkeratome-assisted anterior lamellar keratoplasty has emerged as a surgical option for conditions affecting the clarity of the outer 200 mum of the cornea. Herein we describe the outcome of a simple procedure in which the excimer laser can be used to augment deep tissue removal after both recipient bed and donor graft are prepared with the microkeratome. Our noncomparative interventional ca...