If I go for LASIK enhancement 1 year later, will the corneal flap adherence weaken as it has to be opened again?

Doctor's Answers 4

With LASIK enhancement, the flap is opened and the underlying stromal bed is treated again to remove residual spectacle power.

The effect on flap adherence is the same as after LASIK for the first time, ie that initially it will be weak and then eventually as the cornea heals, the adherence will go back to the way it was before the LASIK enhancement was performed.

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Dr Tony Ho

Ophthalmologist

There are two ways to enhance after a LASIK procedure. My personal preference if enhancement needs to be done within six months, is to lift up the flap and enhance beneath the flap.

However if the LASIK enhancement is done after one year, then my preference is to do the enhancement from the surface as a LASEK procedure rather than to lift up and weaken the flap adherence.

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Dr E-Shawn Goh

Ophthalmologist

There does not seem to be any indication that corneal flap adherence is affected by the number of times that it is lifted.

You can be reassured that your flap will not be disadvantaged by going through the re-lift.

The corneal integrity is never “fully restored” to its pre-operative state after undergoing LASIK.

This means that should a patient require an enhancement surgery years after, the corneal flap created during the first surgery can be lifted up for that purpose. It must be noted that only an eye surgeon with a special instrument is able to re-lift the flap. To be fair to LASIK, it is not common for the corneal flap to move by itself under most normal circumstances.

This re-lifting does not mean the corneal flap adherence will further weaken. The corneal flap will still heal on its own as it did during the first LASIK procedure. There are other factors one should consider carefully before proceeding with a LASIK enhancement though. The best option is to discuss with your ophthalmologist the risks vs benefits of an enhancement before you come to a decision.

Similar Questions

Is Epi-LASIK or LASIK better if I have a history of corneal abrasion due to contact lens wear?

This is an excellent question. It seems like you may be suffering from a known complication following trauma to the eye, specifically the window of the eye known as the cornea. Occasionally, the surface of the cornea may become fragile and prone to spontaneous abrasion or the medical term used is recurrent corneal erosion. In this particular situation, advanced surface ablation may help to stabilise the cornea to prevent further spontaneous abrasion. Strictly speaking, the term used for treatment in this situation is called photo-therapeutic keratectomy (PTK).

Does corneal collagen cross linking with LASIK or ReLEx® SMILE® have benefits?

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