Large study finds post-LASIK infectious keratitis rare, but potentially vision threatening .

This retrospective review of 107,613 post-LASIK patients (204,586 eyes) finds the occurrence of infectious keratitis was 0.035 percent per procedure, or one case in 2,841 procedures. Infection onset occurred within seven days after surgery in 62.5 percent of cases. Staphylococcus epidermis was the most frequently isolated microorganism. The final best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 or better in 38 cases (52.7 percent), 20/40 or better in 67 (93.05 percent),  and less than 20/40 in five (6.94 percent). They recommend prompt, aggressive management with early flap lifting, scraping, culture and irrigation with antibiotics.