Incidence of diffuse lamellar keratitis after LASIK with 15 KHz, 30 KHz, and 60 KHz femtosecond laser flap creation.

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence of diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with flap creation using the 15 kHz (FS15), 30 kHz (FS30), or 60 kHz (FS60) femtosecond laser. SETTING: University-based academic practice, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. DESIGN: Retrospective comparative case series. METHODS: Consecutive myopic LASIK cases performed between January 1, 2005, and June 1, 2007, using the IntraLase FS15, FS30, or FS60 femtosecond laser for flap creation were reviewed. Preoperative clinical characteristics, treatment parameters, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. Statistical comparisons were made using repeated measures analysis, analysis of variance, chi-square, and Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: Five hundred twenty eyes of 274 patients were included in the study. One hundred seventy-six eyes (93 patients) were treated with the FS15 laser, 180 eyes (93 patients) with the FS30 laser, and 164 eyes (89 patients) with the FS60 laser. Seventeen eyes (10%) in the FS15 laser group, 24 eyes (13%) in the FS30 laser group, and 23 eyes (14%) in the FS60 laser group developed DLK. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of DLK between the 3 groups (P = .68). CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the incidence of DLK between the FS15, FS30, and FS60 groups.