Toric soft contact lens fit in a postoperative LASIK keratoectasia patient with high and irregular astigmatism

Abstract

Background

Keratoectasia is a rare but well-known complication after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Patients with this condition can have high and irregular astigmatism. When the treatment of the high astigmatic correction cannot be accomplished surgically or when the keratoectasia patient rejects surgical enhancement, optical correction with devices such as soft or rigid gas-permeable contact lenses may be pursued. In fact, toric soft contact lenses are a good first option for fitting postoperative keratoectasia patients.

Case report

A 58-year-old white male presented for an examination with a complaint of decreased distance vision in the right eye (OD) after having traditional LASIK for myopia with astigmatism in both eyes (OU) in 1999 and limbal relaxing incision enhancement OD in 2003. Refraction showed high mixed astigmatism OD (+1.75 -5.75×075). Slit lamp examination found irregularity of the cornea, evidenced by an inferior cone with pigmented Fleischer ring OD. Video keratometry had keratometry readings of 43.50 at 160, 39.87 at 070, elevated shape measure (0.40), elevated corneal irregularity measure (3.96), an inferior cone on the elevation map, and asymmetric bowtie with elongation inferonasally on the axial map, which confirmed the diagnosis of postoperative keratoectasia. Because new surgical treatments at that time for corneal ectasia were in their infancy and not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the patient opted for a trial toric soft contact lens fitting, which improved his corrected distance visual acuity to 20/25.

Conclusion

This case report confirms that toric soft contact lenses are a good first choice in fitting patients with high and irregular astigmatism from postoperative LASIK corneal ectasia. It also confirms that excellent vision and comfort with toric soft contact lenses is possible in these patients.