An Enigmatic Fluid Accumulation Following Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty After Prior Laser In Situ Keratomileusis

Purpose: To report a case of interface fluid syndrome (IFS) following Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) 13 years after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Methods: A 79-year-old patient with bullous keratopathy underwent uneventful DMEK. Thirteen years prior, he had undergone LASIK. After DMEK, he developed an IFS, which was confirmed by a fluid accumulation in the flap interface, visible in the anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). In this case, IFS is presumed to have been triggered by the corticosteroid eye drops administered postoperatively. Measurements of the intraocular pressure (IOP) via applanation tonometry yielded erroneously low results. Results: The discontinuation of the corticosteroid eye drops, along with the initiation of IOP-lowering therapy, led to an improvement in fluid accumulation and a decrease in IOP. Regular ophthalmic examinations with a palpatory assessment of IOP and monitoring of fluid via AS-OCT are recommended. In this case, no more fluid could be detected in the flap interface after 14 months, and IOP was normal. Conclusions: IFS can occur many years after LASIK treatment. Corticosteroids should be discontinued, and IOP-lowering therapy should be initiated to prevent irreversible damage to the optic nerve. Applanation tonometry leads to inaccurately low IOP measurements; therefore, a palpatory assessment of IOP is recommended. AS-OCT is a crucial imaging modality that should be employed for monitoring.