"LASIK flaps do heal very securely and eventually contribute at least to some degree to the bio-mechanical strength of the cornea."

http://www.usaeyes.org/faq/subjects/lasik_flap_heal.htm

Show me where the scientific evidence supports this claim.

yeah, they'll show you when they show you proof that dry eye resolves by six months. (NOT!)

I can show you scientific proof that the flap never securely heals.

http://www.journalofrefractivesurgery.c ... hing=11320

What CRSQA says about dry eyes:

http://www.usaeyes.org/faq/subjects/dry_eyes.htm

Quote:

For the vast majority of refractive surgery recipients, the degree of dry eye symptoms is not significant enough to cause difficulties. Even those who do have some trouble most often find the dry eye symptoms resolve within the normal six-month healing period.

__________________________________________________________

From the peer-reviewed medical literature:

Effect of Punctal Plugs in Patients With Low Refractive Errors Considering Refractive Surgery
Journal of Refractive Surgery Vol. 23 No. 5 May 2007
Monica B. Khalil, MD; Robert A. Latkany, MD; Mark G. Speaker, MD, PhD; Guopei Yu, MD, MPH

Dry eye syndrome is documented as one of the most common complications after LASIK surgery, with incidence reported as high as 59% at 1 month postoperatively. 1 Patient dissatisfaction after LASIK due to dry eye has been reported in 30% of cases.2 It is generally thought that all patients experience temporary mild dry eye after refractive surgery.3 Fifteen percent of patients experience moderate dry eye lasting approximately 3 months postoperatively, whereas 5% have chronic severe dry eye that endures for >/=6 months.4 This may be secondary to multiple factors, including decreased corneal sensation due to severing of corneal nerves, which leads to decreased tear production.5 Patient symptoms associated with this condition include irritation, photophobia, foreign body sensation, and decreased visual acuity.

Here's scientific evidence to the contrary:

Ophthalmology. 2005 Jun;112(6):1009-16.

Change in intraocular pressure measurements after LASIK the effect of the refractive correction and the lamellar flap.

Chang DH, Stulting RD.

Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) readings after LASIK and the amount of refractive correction.

DESIGN: Retrospective noninterventional case series.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients receiving primary LASIK for myopia and myopic astigmatism.

METHODS: A database of preoperative, intraoperative, and 3-month postoperative data for 8113 consecutive eyes that underwent primary myopic and myopic astigmatic LASIK was retrospectively reviewed. Linear regression analysis of measured IOP change as a function of refractive change was then performed. Age and preoperative keratometry were also reviewed by multiple regression.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Best-fit curve relating change in measured IOP to refractive change.

RESULTS: The mean spherical equivalent of the refractive change was -4.98+/-2.64 diopters (mean +/- standard deviation). The mean decrease in measured IOP was 2.0+/-3.3 mmHg. Linear regression analysis revealed a decrease of 0.12 mmHg of measured IOP per diopter of refractive change (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.15, R(2) = 0.009, P<0.001). Extrapolation of the data to a theoretical correction of zero diopters revealed a decrease of 1.36 mmHg (95% CI, 1.20-1.51, P<0.001), suggesting a component of measured IOP change that is independent of laser ablation.

CONCLUSIONS: The reduction of IOP readings after corneal refractive surgery is a linear function of the amount of refractive correction, with an additional constant reduction that is probably related to the lamellar corneal flap. These data suggest that the lamellar corneal flap makes no contribution to the load-bearing characteristics of the post-LASIK cornea.


Cornea
Volume 25(3), April 2006, pp 331-335

Immunohistochemical Findings After LASIK Confirm In Vitro LASIK Model

Excerpts:

"However, one aspect still in discussion is the wound-healing process in the created interface that leads to an easily removable flap even years after treatment."

"The lack of pronounced morphologic changes in the central area of the LASIK interface, which only showed little accumulation of fibronectin, supports the hypothesis of reduced wound-healing reactions after performing this surgical procedure. Only at the rim zone of the incision, scar tissue formation can appear and might form an incomplete fixation zone for the corneal flap. Due to this impaired healing process, even years after the LASIK procedure, a corneal flap displacement can occur."

"In summary, our histologic findings confirm the well-known clinical phenomenon that wound-healing reactions are marginal after uncomplicated LASIK treatment."

Eur J Ophthalmol. 2007 Jan-Feb;17(1):1-6.

Dry eye after LASIK for myopia: Incidence and risk factors.Shoja MR, Besharati MR.

Department of Ophthalmology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Science, Yadz - Iran.

PURPOSE. Patients frequently experience dry eye symptoms after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors of dry eye after myopic LASIK.

METHODS. In this retrospective case series 190 eyes that underwent LASIK were examined for a dry eye syndrome. All patents were asymptomatic for dry eyes before surgery. Assessments included subjective complaints of dry eye, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal staining, corneal sensitivity test, and Schirmer I test. All values were compared before and at 1 week and 1.3 and 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS. For the 190 eyes, chronic dry eye persisting 6 months or more after LASIK was diagnosed in 20 percent of the eyes. Mean patient age was 31 +/- 8 years. The risk for chronic dry eye was significantly associated with higher attempted refractive correction, greater ablation depth, and female sex (p=0.001). Subjective score for dryness was increased after LASIK. The greatest change from preoperative levels for all parameters was noted at 1 week. There were obvious decreases in TBUT and Schirmer value at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively relative to preoperative level (p<0.05). The Schirmer I test result was higher at 1 day but without statistical significance (p>0.05), but lower at 1 week and 3 and 6 months (p<0.05) after LASIK. Corneal sensitivity was decreased at 1 month and 3 months, and returned to the preoperative level at 6 months after LASIK. There was a statistically significant effect of age, sex, and mean spherical equivalent refraction on corneal sensitivity (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS. Patients undergoing LASIK for myopia develop dry eye with compromised tear function at least 6 months after surgery. Women and patients requiring higher refractive correction have an increased risk for developing dry eye.


Note: The study only went out to six months.

Former Chairman of CRSQA / USAEyes:



Source: J Refract Surg. 2007 Jun;23(6):555-8. Anterior segment OCT analysis of thin IntraLase femtosecond flaps. Stahl JE, Durrie DS, Schwendeman FJ, Boghossian AJ. Durrie Vision, 5520 College Blvd, Ste 201, Overland Park, KS 66211, USA. jstahl@durrievision.com

Lies from the fake patient advocate LASIK promoter:

http://www.usaeyes.org/faq/subjects/dry_eyes.htm




Compare that above statement to the below article written by one of the country's "leading" LASIK surgeons:

Issue: September 2004
Minimizing Post-LASIK Dry Eye
Aggressive preoperative and intraoperative management will reduce the incidence of this complication.
BY ERIC DONNENFELD, M.D., F.A.C.S.

http://www.ophthalmologymanagement.com/ ... icle=86170

Depth-dependent Cohesive Tensile Strength in Human Donor Corneas: Implications for Refractive Surgery
Journal of Refractive Surgery Vol. 24 No. 1 January 2008
J. Bradley Randleman, MD; Daniel G. Dawson, MD; Hans E. Grossniklaus, MD; Bernard E. McCarey, PhD; Henry F. Edelhauser, PhD

Although both surface ablation techniques and LASIK reduce overall tensile strength through tissue removal, LASIK further weakens the cornea through lamellar flap creation because the anterior lamellar flap does not contribute significantly to postoperative corneal tensile strength.