Purpose: To present a case of infectious keratitis occurring 6 years after LASIK due to the rare human pathogen Shewanella putrefaciens.
Methods: A 58-year-old man presented with redness and pain in the right eye 6 years following LASIK retreatment. Examination revealed a corneal infiltrate at the flap interface. Corneal scraping of stroma beneath the flap was submitted for histopathologic and microbiologic evaluation.
Results: An infiltrate located at the LASIK flap interface originated from an epithelial defect at the flap-corneal junction. Corneal stroma cultures demonstrated Shewanella putrefaciens. The infection resolved with antibiotic treatment.
Conclusions: LASIK-related complications, such as infections, can occur many years following the procedure. The potential space created under the LASIK flap may predispose patients to infection by opportunistic organisms.