Infectious keratitis after photorefractive keratectomy☆
Section snippets
Materials and methods
A retrospective chart review took place of 3 referral cornea and refractive disease practices. All charts were reviewed, surgeons were questioned, and patients were interviewed for risk factors related to infectious keratitis. All patients underwent microbial culturing and sensitivity testing, were treated with fluoroquinolones, fortified antibiotics, or both, and were followed up for a minimum of 4 months.
Results
Bacterial keratitis developed in 13 eyes of 12 patients, with a mean age of 28.4 years, after PRK, and these patients were followed up for a minimum of 4 months (Table 1). Eight patients sought treatment on the first postoperative day, 3 patients sought treatment on the second postoperative day, and one patient sought treatment on the third postoperative day. Six ulcers developed in the right eye, 5 ulcers developed in the left eye, and bilateral corneal ulcerations developed in a single
Case report
A 26-year-old female medical resident with a refraction of −7.00 in the right eye and −6.75 in the left eye underwent bilateral PRK. After surgery, the patient received one drop of tobramycin 0.3% solution in both eyes and proparacaine 0.5% topical anesthetic. In both eyes, the PRK was uneventful, and after the PRK, the patient was fit with a bandage soft contact lens and was given tobramycin 0.3%, fluorometholone 0.1%, and diclofenac sodium 0.1% 4 times daily. The patient was sent home with
Discussion
Infectious keratitis is a potentially devastating complication of PRK. The predisposing risk factors for infectious keratitis are breakdown of the barrier function of the corneal epithelium and the use of a bandage contact lens on an extended-wear basis.14 In addition, the use of topical steroids to control wound healing may suppress the ability of the immune system to fight infection.
Although laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) has surpassed PRK as the most prevalent form of refractive
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Manuscript no. 220109
Supported in part by the Lions Eye Bank of Long Island, New York.