Regression

Moderate regression may occur after excimer laser assisted conventional or custom wavefront Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, and Epi-Lasik. This occurs mostly in myopic patients who have more than 6.0 diopters of refractive error and virtually all hyperopic patients.

After excimer laser assisted refractive surgery the cornea tends to regress back toward the original refractive error. The epithelium and the deeper stroma can reshape and reform at different rates and can cause regression.

Most Lasik and All-Laser Lasik patients experience regression within the first few weeks after surgery, while the surface ablation techniques of PRK, LASEK, and Epi-Lasik may require additional time until regression has settled down. For myopic patients, regression usually occurs within the first one to three months after surgery. Hyperopic patients may experience regression for a longer period of time. In all cases, it is reasonable to expect regression stop within the normal six month healing period.

Regression that is severe or continues to progress may be a sign of ectasia.

NearVision CK is considered a temporary procedure because the effects regress at a rate of about 0.33 diopter per year until all effects have dissipated.

Regression is a natural component of the healing process and is considered in the planned correction. A patient may be deliberately overcorrect to accommodate expected levels of regression. See Lasik Overcorrection Information

Regression occurs more commonly with smaller ablation diameters and with abrupt transition zones at the edge of the treatment areas. Steroid medications can be used to regulate and control regression. Although regression seems to be more prevalent the higher the refractive error, regression can occur in anyone.

If you are ready to choose a doctor to be evaluated for conventional or custom wavefrontt Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, NearVision CK, RLE, or any refractive surgery procedure, we highly recommend you consider a doctor who has been evaluated and certified by the USAEyes nonprofit organization. Locate a USAEyes Evaluated & Certified Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Doctor.

If this article did not fully answer your questions, use our free Ask Lasik Expert patient forum.

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Current Regression Medical Journal News...

Anterior segment optical coherence tomography measurement of flap thickness after myopic LASIK using the Moria one use-plus microkeratome.

Anterior segment optical coherence tomography measurement of flap thickness after myopic LASIK using the Moria one use-plus microkeratome.

J Refract Surg. 2010 Jun;26(6):403-10

Authors: Chen HJ, Xia YJ, Zhong YY, Song XL, Chen YG

PURPOSE: To analyze the accuracy and consistency of corneal flap thickness created in myopic LASIK using the Moria One Use-Plus microkeratome compared with the Moria M2 Single Use 90-microm microkeratome. METHODS: Bilateral LASIK was performed in 68 myopic patients. Flaps were created using the One Use-Plus microkeratome in 82 eyes (41 patients) and the M2 90-microm microkeratome in 54 eyes (27 patients). Flap complications and visual outcomes were evaluated. Horizontal "High Res. Corneal" scan pattern of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) was applied to measure flap thickness at five locations (0, +/-2, and +/-3.5 mm from the corneal vertex) on the first postoperative day. RESULTS: No significant differences were noted in flap complications and visual outcomes between groups. The central flap thickness was dramatically thinner in the One Use-Plus group (114.7+/-10.1 microm and 109.4+/-11.0 microm for right and left eyes, respectively) than in the M2 group (155.6+/-14.8 microm and 151.6+/-12.5 microm for right and left eyes, respectively) (P<.001). The One Use-Plus did not show a markedly better uniformity than the M2; the variation was mainly observed in the periphery. Multiple linear regression showed that for the One Use-Plus, the steeper the preoperative keratometry, the thicker the flap thickness, and for the M2, the thicker the preoperative pachymetry, the thicker the flap (P<.1). CONCLUSIONS: The One Use-Plus and M2 microkeratomes have similar safety and efficacy. The flap created by the One Use-Plus was much thinner than the flap created with the M2; however, the One Use-Plus can not realize a fully planar-shaped flap.

PMID: 20677727 [PubMed - in process]