A sight for sore eyes: Ophthalmic medical tourism

Medical tourism is becoming increasingly popular. Many patients from the United Kingdom go abroad for ophthalmic procedures. Complications may arise when back in the UK and are treated for free under the NHS. Currently NHS finances are becoming increasingly tight and these patients will add extra strain. We report a series of five cases describing complications and outcomes of three laser-assisted-in-situ-keratomileusis (LASIK) procedures, one phakic intraocular lens implant and one iris colour implant carried out abroad treated by one NHS consultant.

Cases 1, 2 and 3 were patients who travelled to India for LASIK procedures which were complicated by bilateral diffuse lamellar keratitis, sub-epithelial scarring, and flap malposition respectively. Case 4 had bilateral phakic intracocular lens implant and developed endophthalmitis. Case 5 was a gentleman who developed chronic anterior uveitis following bilateral iris colour implants in Panama City.