Allergic conjunctivitis as a risk factor for laser in situ keratomileusis

Purpose. To analyze the effect of allergic conjunctivitis (AC) on the outco me of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in myopic eyes. Setting: Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic, Tokyo, Japan. Methods: Patients who had LASIK were divided into 2 groups: those with AC ( 84 eyes of 49 patients; the allergic group) and those without AC (140 eyes of 77 patients; the nonallergic group). Allergic conjunctivitis was diagnos ed clinically by symptoms of eye itching and clinical findings such as papi llary proliferation on the tarsal conjunctiva. Preoperative and postoperati ve uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and refraction and intraoperative and p ostoperative complications were compared. Results. There were no significant differences in UCVA and refraction betwe en the 2 groups. No complications were observed in the allergic group. Intr aoperative conjunctival chemosis (3 eyes of 2 patients) and a postoperative epithelial defect that resulted in epithelial ingrowth (1 eye) were observ ed in the nonallergic group. Conclusion: The findings suggest that AC is not a risk factor for LASIK.