To evaluate the changes in break-up time (BUT) and corneal sensitivity following LASIK surgery for refractive error correction with presbyopia in patients older than 45 years.

The authors of the present study measured the BUT and corneal sensitivity of 92 eyes that received LASIK surgery for correcting refractive error with presbyopia. The eyes were divided into groups according to gender and preoperative refractive error before surgery and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after LASIK.

The mean age of patients was 52.01 ± 5.51 years, and the male to female eye distribution was 31:61. The value of BUT before surgery and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperative was 5.31 ± 2.03 sec, 4.47 ± 1.67 sec, 4.04 ± 1.58 sec, 4.53 ± 1.51 sec, and 4.87 ± 1.46 sec, respectively; corneal sensitivity was 56.35 ± 5.94 mm, 40.07 ± 14.21 mm, 46.42 ± 10.41 mm, 50.75 ± 8.04 mm, and 52.92 ± 7.51 mm, respectively. BUT was not significantly different relative to refractive error and was significantly shorter in the female group than the male group at 1 month postoperative. Corneal sensation of myopia at 12 months postoperative was statistically higher than at other time points; however, there was no difference between genders. BUT and corneal sensitivity at 12 months postoperative recovered to 91.6% and 93.9% of the preoperative value, respectively.

BUT and corneal sensitivity after LASIK for presbyopia were decreased until 12 months postoperative and recovered slowly, but did not return to preoperative levels.