Study: Another strike against the LASIK suction ring...

...not that 1-month results necessarily tell us much, but at least they highlight the need for MORE study and that is key. There are simply far too many people out there with long-term very high pain/discomfort from LASIK dry eye whose 'obvious' clinical signs (Schirmer, staining, BUT) do not explain their degree of discomfort. We need more info.

Effect of suction ring application during LASIK on goblet cell density.
J Refract Surg. 2007 Jun;23(6):559-62.
Rodriguez-Prats JL, Hamdi IM, Rodriguez AE, Galal A, Alio JL

PURPOSE: To study the effect of LASIK surgery on conjunctival goblet cells as one of the proposed mechanisms for dry eye occurring after LASIK.... CONCLUSIONS: The application of the microkeratome suction ring induced changes in the perilimbic conjunctiva. These changes contribute to the pathology of dry eye. Goblet cell count remains affected at 1 month postoperatively.