ABSTRACT

Epithelial ingrowth (EI) is a severe and incompletely understood complication after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Its incidence is variable and cases requiring surgical removal occur with a frequency of 0.92%–2.2%.1 ,2 Here, we report the clinical, morphological and immunohistological features of EI cells of four patients, two LASIKs, one FemtoLASIK and one ALTK, with EI that needed surgical removal (figure 1A). Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against CK3, Muc5AC, CK15 and CK19 (differentiation markers) and against p63, BMI1, C/EBP δ and BCRP/ABCG2 (stem cell markers) and Ki67 (proliferation marker).