Post-LASIK myopic shift after a trek in the North Pole

Bilateral laser in situ keratomileusis was performed in a 37-year-old male ethnic Chinese adventurer. Eight weeks postoperatively, the patient made an unassisted trek to the geographic North Pole. After 2 weeks in this environment, a myopic shift of more than −1.50 diopters occurred in both eyes. The myopic shift resolved over 2 months when the patient returned to a tropical climate. Using Orbscan corneal topography, we propose that the myopic shift was attributed to biomechanical changes in the cornea induced by corneal dehydration in the Arctic environment.