Association of surgeon experience with outcomes of femtosecond LASIK.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To determine effect of surgeon experience on outcomes of LASIK.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective case series of myopic femtosecond LASIK performed by residents and fellows compared to an attending surgeon, with mean follow-up of 6.6 months.

RESULTS: Seventy-two eyes (38 patients) had LASIK performed by a trainee and 157 eyes (83 patients) by an attending surgeon. There were no statistically significant preoperative differences. The attending surgeon had lower mean flap thickness (P = .0001), but ablation depth and residual stromal bed were similar. Postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity was significantly better in the experienced surgeon group on the first postoperative day (P = .0203). Postoperative findings of microstriae (P < .0001) and interface debris (P = .0034) were more common with trainee-performed LASIK.

CONCLUSION: Visual outcomes are excellent after femtosecond LASIK performed by trainees and experienced surgeons. Early postoperative complications are more common in trainee-performed LASIK, but are not visually significant. Resident and fellow LASIK surgical training with a comprehensive refractive curriculum under the guidance of an experienced surgeon is safe and appropriate.