http://groups.google.com/group/alt.lasi ... 4db4601349
Glenn Hagele, "
Epithelial ingrowth is possibly one of the most benign complications a person can have after LASIK or IntraLASIK. "
Contrast with quotes from a recent peer-reviewed medical study regarding "benign" cases of epi-ingrowth: "
Of the corneas that were maximally healed (3.5 and 6.5 years after LASIK), the wound margin scars with epithelial cell ingrowth (46% of cases; n=6) were found to be approximately one-third as strong (4.61 g/mm vs 11.32 g/mm, P=.0023) as those without epithelial cell ingrowth (54% of cases; n=7).
Flap margins with visible areas of epithelial ingrowth were easier to lift than those without epithelial ingrowth. The histological correlations are also the first to show that fully healed human corneal wounds with
epithelial cell ingrowth (4.61 g/mm) have on average one-third the tensile strength as those without epithelial cell ingrowth (11.32 g/mm). This was previously only calculated from theoretical data in radial keratotomy
specimens. This difference probably occurs because the depth of the hypercellular fibrotic scar is less in eyes with epithelial ingrowth (5 to 20 μm deep vs 50 to 75 μm deep) and because epithelial cells provide
markedly less tensile strength to the wound than a fibrotic scar.
The pathologic correlations demonstrated that the strongest wound margin scars had no epithelial cell ingrowth—the strongest typically being wider or more peripherally located. In contrast, the weakest wound margin scars had epithelial cell ingrowth." J Refract Surg. 2005 Sep-Oct;21(5):433-45. Cohesive tensile strength of human LASIK wounds with histologic, ultrastructural, and clinical correlations.Schmack I, Dawson DG, McCarey BE, Waring GO 3rd, Grossniklaus HE, Edelhauser HF.
A permanently weakened flap margin is the best case scenario of epithelial ingrowth. Worst case is flap melt with loss of best corrected visual acuity possibly requiring a corneal transplant.
