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26th International Congress of German Ophthalmic Surgeons

13. to 15.06.2013, Nürnberg

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Why is it so difficult to treat astigmatism with excimer laser surface ablation?

Meeting Abstract

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  • Mike Holzer - Univ.-Augenklinik, IVCRC, Heidelberg

26. Internationaler Kongress der Deutschen Ophthalmochirurgen. Nürnberg, 13.-15.06.2013. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2013. DocH 4.4

doi: 10.3205/13doc013, urn:nbn:de:0183-13doc0137

Published: October 18, 2013

© 2013 Holzer.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Purpose: Up to 5 D of corneal astigmatism can be treated safely with excimer laser surface ablation following the KRC guidelines. Although results are usually very good, regression can occur in some cases.

Method: The results of excimer laser surface ablation for treatment of low myopia, high myopia and myopic astigmatism are compared. Emphasis is placed on the stability of the refraction after treatment.

Results: In general, excimer laser surface ablation is an excellent option for treatment of astigmatism. However, slight changes in the central anterior cornea can be observed after astigmatic correction.

Conclusion: The asymmetrical ablation of collagen lamellae in an astigmatic correction might induce a differential relaxation in the stromal lamellar tension, which can result in a diffuse anterior corneal steepening.