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Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a superior or nasal hinge location on corneal sensation and dry eye after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)., Setting: Magill Research Center for Vision Correction, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA., Methods: This prospective randomized masked study included 47 patients having bilateral myopic LASIK surgery. The first eye was randomly assigned to have a nasal or superior hinge flap; the fellow eye had the alternate location. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, corneal sensation, basic secretion test, tear film breakup time, conjunctival and corneal staining, and a subjective questionnaire were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months. The Wilcoxon signed rank test and paired t test were used for comparison., Results: Dry eye occurred with the same frequency in both groups. However, eyes with the nasal hinge had significantly better nasal sensation than those with the superior hinge (P<.05) at 1 month., Conclusion: Better nasal corneal sensation was found at 1 month in the nasal hinge group but there was no difference in any other parameters measured.

To determine the refractive surgery preferences of ophthalmologists worldwide, questionnaires were sent to 8920 members of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. A total of 1174 questionnaires was returned by the deadline. The practice distribution included 30.0% cataract surgeons, 47.3% comprehensive ophthalmologists, 14.4% refractive surgery (RS) specialists, 4.5% corneal/external disease specialists, 1.9% glaucoma specialists, and < 1% retinal/oculoplastics/pediatrics/neurophthalmologists/researchers/retired. Responses were compared with those in the 2001 and 2002 surveys and demonstrate that RS practice patterns continue to evolve.