Refractive change and photorefractive keratectomy treatment for a late traumatic flap loss

A flap loss is rare and serious among various flap-related complications of LASIK. It can occur intra-operatively, early post-operatively or late post-operatively and can be classified aetiologically as iatrogenic or traumatic. Here, we report a case of late traumatic flap loss caused by a scratch from a cat’s paw and successfully treated by PRK. A review of the literature indicates that this is the first case of late traumatic flap loss, for which the patient received a PRK re-treatment. With the increasing popularity of LASIK, the incidence of either iatrogenic or traumatic flap loss may increase and the awareness of this complication and the importance of its management should not be overlooked. CASE REPORT