The effect of preoperative keratometry on visual outcomes after moderate myopic LASIK

The relationship between preoperative keratometry (K) and visual outcomes in laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) has been studied in high myopia and hyperopia, but not in moderate myopia. Rao et al report increased undercorrection in eyes with preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) of −10.0 to −11.9 diopters (D), and in eyes with flat corneas compared with steeper corneas.1 Williams et al, conversely, reported undercorrection and loss of best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) following hyperopic LASIK in eyes with steep corneas, compared with flat corneas.2 To our knowledge, to date no study has analyzed visual prognosis based on preoperative keratometry in moderately myopic LASIK. In this retrospective analysis, we studied the relationship between preoperative keratometry and postoperative visual outcomes in flat and steep corneas treated with LASIK for the correction of moderate myopia (−2.00 to −5.99 D).