AIM:To evaluate the effect of the treatment between gross stream irrigation and its combination with medical sponges used in corneal flap relocation during LASIK.METHODS:Totally 211 cases (418 eyes) from July 2011 to August 2011 in our hospital were collected. They were divided into 2 groups arranged by treatment order. The first group of 105 cases (208 eyes) used the gross stream irrigation to relocate the corneal flap while the second group of 106 cases (210 eyes) used the gross stream irrigation and medical sponges. The state of corneal flap, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the patients'' feeling of glare were observed at the 1^st day, 1^st week and 1^st month after surgery.RESULTS:The two groups of patients were not observed any apparent replacement of corneal flap and ruffly corneal cap at the 1^st day, 1^st week and 1^st month after surgery. Three eyes in the first group were seen turtle pattern whereas two eyes were in the other group. We used Fisher''s exact probability and found there was no significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05). The visual acuity of the two groups on the 2^nd day after surgery was 1.07±0.11 and 1.10±0.18 respectively. Univariate ttest indicated that there was no significant difference between the two groups. The postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) is equal to the postoperative UCVA in both groups, and the patients feel well without glare.CONCLUSION:The postoperative effect of gross stream irrigation equals its combination with medical sponges used in corneal flap relocation during LASIK.