Laser in situ keratomileusis: association with increased width of palpebral fissure

• Published in: American journal of ophthalmology 2001-02, Vol.131 (2), p.254-255
• Main Authors: Hori-Komai, Yoshiko, Toda, Ikuko, Tsubota, Kazuo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Contact Lenses; Cornea - surgery; Eyeglasses; Eyelids - anatomy & histology; Female; Humans; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ; Male; Medical sciences; Myopia - surgery; Prospective Studies; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the eye and orbit
• ISSN: 0002-9394; 1879-1891
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-9394(00)00776-5

PURPOSE: To report the preoperative and postoperative palpebral fissure width in eyes undergoing laser in situ keratomileusis. METHODS: In a prospective study, 165 consecutive eyes of 87 patients (41 men and 46 women with a mean ± standard deviation age of 32.9 (±9.5) years) had laser in situ keratomileusis using a Summit (Waltham, MA) APEX PLUS excimer laser and a Moria (Antony, France) LSK microkeratome. The width of palpebral fissure was measured preoperatively, 3 months or 6 months after laser in situ keratomileusis. Patients were classified into three groups as follows: hard contact lens users group ( n = 61), soft contact lens users group ( n = 63), and non-contact lens users group ( n = 41). RESULTS: The average width of palpebral fissure increased after laser in situ keratomileusis in all three groups. The hard contact lens users group increased from 7.6 (±1.6) mm to 8.7 (±1.2) mm ( P < .0001) and non-contact lens users group increased from 7.7 (±1.9) mm to 8.9 (±1.9) mm ( P < .0001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that laser in situ keratomileusis may be associated with an increase in the width of the palpebral fissure.