Ectasia with Scarring

For those members who have developed post-LASIK corneal ectasia and are thinking about undergoing laser surgery to smooth out the corneal surface, please take the photos below into consideration. In the first photo, notice the cloudy areas in the center of the photos. This is scarring created by the laser. Look carefully at the “smiley face” white line at the bottom of the photo. This is the outline of the LASIK flap. The laser procedure degraded the vision in this eye and the scarring is permanent. The 2nd photo also shows a post-LASIK cornea with ectasia. This eye underwent Intacs surgery after the diagnosis of ectasia was made. The thick translucent structure going around the lower half of this photo is the Intacs ring. The Intacs did nothing to undo the corneal irregularity created by the LASIK surgery. Note the grey haze just above the Intacs. This is the scarring created by the laser surgery that was done in an attempt to make this cornea more spherical. Neither the Intacs or the laser procedure improved the vision in this eye. In fact, the corneal distortion and vision was made worse by these 2 additional surgeries.