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Epikeratophakia useful in avoiding penetrating keratoplasty

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BONN, Germany — Epikeratophakia is an effective and less invasive alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for patients with keratoconus, results of a long-term study have shown. The procedure was successful in permanently flattening the ectatic cornea and reducing astigmatism, thereby improving visual acuity.

Researchers here retrospectively studied 36 eyes at 7 years after epikeratophakia. Of those 36 eyes, only four underwent penetrating keratoplasty in the course of the follow-up.

In addition to the epikeratophakia, six eyes had compression sutures and one eye underwent photorefractive keratectomy. The mean refractive power of the corneas decreased from 52 D to 46 D and astigmatism decreased from 7 D to 4 D.

The study is published in Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.