Unilateral corneal ectasia after small-incision lenticule extraction in a 43-year-old patient.

ABSTRACT

Unilateral corneal ectasia developed after small-incision lenticule extraction for mild myopia in a 43-year-old man with preoperative asymmetric astigmatism. The ectasia was diagnosed 4 years postoperatively. Preoperative data showed asymmetric astigmatism with no signs of forme fruste keratoconus. Inferior anterior curvature steepening exceeded 2.00 diopters without bulging of the posterior curvature, and pachymetric thickness exceeded 515 µm. Corneal ectasia can occur after small-incision lenticule extraction in patients older than 40 years with preoperative asymmetric astigmatism.