The human cornea is incapable of complete wound healing after LASIK surgery. In 2005, researchers at Emory University found permanent pathologic changes in all post-LASIK corneas examined, including undulation of Bowman's layer, spatial separation of the LASIK flap from the stromal bed, epithelial thickening over the wound margin, interface debris, and severed and severely disordered collagen fibrils.24 The study reveals that the healing response never completely regenerates normal corneal stroma.
Another study demonstrates that the LASIK flap produces a scar at the margin that is only 28.1% of the tensile strength of normal corneal stroma, and the flap itself heals to only 2.4% of normal tensile strength.25 This publication reports that one author has lifted LASIK flaps out to 11 years after initial surgery, further attesting to long-term weakness of the LASIK interface wound. Reports of late flap dislocations suggest that LASIK patients are vulnerable to traumatic flap injury for life. 26
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