Intra OP & Post OP Complication Management in Corneal Refractive Surgery

陳弘誌 Hung-Chih ChenTaiwan Speaker Intra OP & Post OP Complication Management in Corneal Refractive SurgeryCorneal refractive surgery has evolved significantly with modern laser platforms, diagnostic technologies, and surgical techniques, offering high safety, predictability, and patient satisfaction. Despite advancements, intraoperative and postoperative complications remain critical determinants of visual outcomes, warranting prompt recognition and evidence-based management. This review highlights key complication profiles and practical strategies for optimized peri-operative care in refractive procedures, including PRK, LASIK and KLEx. Intra-OP complications in corneal laser surgery primarily involve flap-related issues in LASIK (incomplete, irregular, free, or displaced flaps), docking or suction loss in femtosecond platforms, and interface problems. In KLEx, challenges include suction loss, black spots, cap perforation, retained lenticule fragments, incision tearing, and extraction difficulty. Immediate management strategies emphasize maintaining tissue integrity, minimizing further manipulation, and appropriate surgical abort or conversion when indicated. Post-OP adverse events may include dry eye disease, epithelial ingrowth, diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK), infection, corneal haze, ectasia, residual refractive error, night vision disturbances, and elevated intraocular pressure. Management requires a tailored approach, such as aggressive lubrication and anti-inflammation support for ocular surface disease, early steroid escalation for haze and DLK, interface washout for progressive ingrowth, corneal cross-linking for biomechanical instability, and enhancement surgery when refractive targets are unmet. Regular monitoring via corneal tomography, epithelial mapping, and wavefront analysis aids early detection and intervention. A structured management algorithm, proactive risk assessment, surgeon experience, and patient-specific optimization remain essential to achieving safe, sustainable refractive outcomes and minimizing long-term morbidity.