Case summary: Two patients were referred to our hospital because of ocular pain, conjunctival injection, and decreased visual acuity occurring 3 days after LASEK surgery. At that time, visual acuity was hand movement in both cases and they presented with corneal epithelial defects, stromal infiltration, and inflammation in the anterior chamber of their eyes. Patients were treated aggressively with hourly topical broad-spectrum fortified antibiotics after corneal scrapings were obtained. Gram stain was positive for gram negative bacilli in case 1 and culture was positive for Staphylococcus aureus in case 2. Both eyes responded well to treatment, resulting in residual corneal scarring with best corrected visual acuity of 20/25 in case 1 and 20/40 in case 2 after 12 and 6 months respectively.

Conclusions: Infectious keratitis can occur after LASEK surgery usually during early postoperative period and early diagnosis and aggressive therapy should be followed through the close follow-up.

Ann Optom Contact Lens 2015;14(3):150-154