Study further validates efficacy, safety and predictability of LASIK

This is the largest prospective study ever published on LASIK outcomes. It included 19,753 patients (37,932 eyes) who underwent LASIK for myopia at a single center in Asia between 1998 and 2007 and were followed-up for a mean of 69 days.  Patients were predominantly ethnic Chinese (90.5 percent), and the mean preoperative spherical error corrected was -5.90 D.

More than 90 percent of the surgeries since 2000 resulted in a postoperative UCVA of at least 20/40, with 72.8 percent achieving at least 20/20. Snellen-line BCVA loss of one and two lines was 2.4 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively. For surgeries performed over the last four years, more than 93 percent of eyes got within 1 D of their target refraction, and safety outcomes improved steadily from the start of the study. The overall retreatment rate was 3.8 percent, and 91 percent of retreated eyes achieved UCVA of  at least 20/30. The postoperative UCVA and BCVA improved significantly over the 10 years (P<0.001).

This study not only reveals overall excellent outcomes with LASIK, but also confirms the superior safety and efficacy of current generation excimer lasers and treatment regimens. Though the study patients were ethnic Asians, this data adds significantly to an overall description of the efficacy and safety of the LASIK procedure.