Laser in situ keratomileusis in eyes with inactive herpetic keratitis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and outcome of laser in situ keratomileusis in eyes with inactive herpetic keratitis. METHODS: Prospective, interventional case series. In three eyes of three pa tients with inactive unilateral herpetic keratitis for a minimum period of I year, laser in situ keratomileusis was performed. Oral and topical acyclo vir were prescribed perioperatively. No topical steroids were prescribed. RESULTS: Preoperatively, all three eyes had corneal stromal scars with indu ced astigmatism in two eyes and central stromal scar in one eye with best,c orrected visual acuity of 20/120, 20/25, and 20/50, respectively. Postopera tively, the three eyes achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20, 20/20, and 20/50, respectively, with decreased corneal scar. None of the patients developed herpetic keratitis reactivation during a minimum follow-up of 6 m onths. CONCLUSION: Laser in situ keratomileusis was safe and effective in the trea tment of refractive errors and corneal scars in three eyes of three patient s with inactive herpetic keratitis. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All r ights reserved.