Adjustable refractive surgery: 6-mm Artisan lens plus laser in situ keratomileusis for the correction of high myopia

Purpose: To evaluate efficacy, predictability, stability and safety of adju stable refractive surgery (ARS) by combining a phakic intraocular lens (IOL ) (Artisan lens 6-mm optical zone [OZ]) and laser in situ keratomileusis (L ASIK) (6.5 mm OZ) for the correction of myopia greater than -15.00 diopters (D). Design: Noncomparative interventional case series. Participants: Twenty-six eyes of 18 patients with a preoperative spherical equivalent between -16.00 and -23.00 D. Methods: First surgery: An 8.5/9.5-mm flap was created and a 6-mm optic iri s claw phakic IOL of -15.00 D was inserted in the anterior chamber through a posterior corneal incision, The second surgery was performed once refract ion and topography were stable, between 3 and 5 months later. Second surger y: LASIK enhancement (6.5-9.2 OZ); the flap was relifted, and the residual refractive error was corrected. Main Outcome Measures: The main parameters in this study were uncorrected v isual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refraction, contrast sen sitivity, endothelial cell count (ECC), and subjective response. Results: Twenty-eight months after both surgeries, 80.70% of the eyes were within 0.50 D of emmetropia and 100% within 1.0 D. Twenty-six percent of th e eyes gained 3 or more lines from their preoperative BCVA, and 42% gained 2 or more lines. There was no visual loss in any eye from 6 weeks to 24 mon ths after LASIK enhancement (second surgery) and refraction, and visual acu ities remained stable. Two subjects (11%) had some subjective disturbances at night. There was a 0.61% mean loss of ECC during the first 12 months and a 0.60% loss during the next 16 months. No serious complications were obse rved. Conclusions: ARS with the combination of a 6-mm optic, 15 D Artisan lens, a nd LASIK appears to be a safe and highly predictable method for the correct ion of myopia greater than -15.00 D. It is the best approach with the techn ology currently available. Ophthalmology 2001;108:945-952 (C) 2001 by the A merican Academy of Ophthalmology.