Angle-supported phakic intraocular lenses followed by laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis for the correction of high myopia.

To evaluate the safety, effectiveness, predictability, and stability of the combination of angle-supported phakic intraocular lens (PIOL) implantation and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for the correction of high myopia. Noncomparative interventional case series. At the Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, Spain, 24 consecutive eyes of 12 patients with a preoperative spherical equivalent between -9 and -26 diopters were studied. Implantation of an angle-supported PIOL was done as the first surgery. Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis was performed at least 6 months after PIOL surgery, once stability of topography and refraction were proved. Main outcome measures were uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refraction, applanation tonometry, and corneal endothelial study (cell density, hexagonality, and coefficient of variation), with a minimum follow-up of 12 months after LASIK. The mean spherical equivalent refraction decreased from -15.17 +/- 5.15 diopters before PIOL implantation to -1.33 +/- 1.18 diopters after PIOL surgery and to 0.01 +/- 0.53 12 months after LASIK. Uncorrected visual acuity was 0.39 +/- 0.12 after PIOL surgery, increasing to 0.65 +/- 0.23 12 months after LASIK. There was an increase in 20/40 or better UCVA from 16.6% after PIOL surgery alone to 83.3% after addition of LASIK. At final follow-up, spherical equivalent was within +/- 1 diopter of emmetropia in 22 eyes (91.7%) and in 18 eyes (75%) within +/- 0.50 diopters. Vector analysis demonstrated that astigmatic components of refractive error after PIOL surgery were well corrected by LASIK. At final follow-up the mean endothelial cell loss was 4.88% (P <.001). There were no statistically significant differences between mean endothelial cell count, percentage of hexagonality, or coefficient of variation before LASIK and 12 months after LASIK, suggesting that no corneal endothelial damage was produced by LASIK itself. No sight-threatening complications occurred through the follow-up period. The combination of angle-supported PIOL implantation and LASIK appears to be a safe, effective, predictable, and stable procedure for the correction of high myopia. This paper emphasizes the benefits of adding LASIK to the use of PIOL alone.