Common Complications in Lasik Surgery- Peri-Operative Early Flap Dislocation and Epithelial Ingrowth July, 2014 | Page 6

Another common complication which is seen after lasik
treatment is post-LASIK epithelial ingrowth. Epithelial
ingrowth (EI) is a post Lasik migration of epithelial cells
from the edges of the flap into the interface. The incidence
of EI has considerably reduced in the last few years due to
due to sophistication in surgical techniques and perfection
in microkeratome technology and with the introduction of
femtosecond laser flap creation. Most incidences of EI are
trivial and do not require any corrective process. Persons
with minimal visual loss and stable EI warrant only
observation. However about 1% of patients can have
complications which can result by blockages of aqueous
diffusion and flap nutrition and/or by producing proteolytic
enzymes, irregular astigmatism, foreign body sensation,
and visual impairment by extension to the visual axis. If the
EI progresses towards the visual axis or about 2mm beyond
the flap edge with significant loss of vision could require
surgical intervention.