Techniques For Managing Epithelial Ingrowth: A Case Report

To describe treatment strategies for severe postoperative epithelial ingrowth secondary to a buttonhole after LASIK surgery.

We describe a combination of techniques

(resection of the epithelium from around the flap bed, flap lifting, scraping of the epithelial cells, both from the undersurface of the flap and from the stromal bed, mitomycin C 0.02% for 45 seconds and finally flap suture) to treat a case of epithelial ingrowth grade 3.

The visual acuity improved from 0.1 decimal to 0.6 without subsequent recurrence of the epithelial ingrowth five months after surgery.

A combination of different procedures carefully performed simultaneously can successfully correct severe epithelial ingrowth.