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Full-thickness corneal grafts remain clear after more than 20 years despite ectasia
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 Anthony F. Felipe |
PHILADELPHIA — Penetrating keratoplasty performed for various indications, especially keratoconus, yielded high graft survival rates and good visual outcomes after 20 years or longer, a speaker said here.
"Despite ectasia, patients can still have good vision with properly fitted contact lenses and glasses," Anthony F. Felipe, MD, told colleagues at the Wills Eye Institute Alumni Conference.
The retrospective study included 149 eyes of 109 patients. Average patient age at the time of surgery was 37 years. Primary indications were keratoconus, Fuchs' dystrophy and herpes simplex virus keratitis. Mean follow-up was 27 years.
Mean postoperative logMAR visual acuity was 0.29 (Snellen equivalent 20/39). Overall, 81% of eyes had Snellen best corrected visual acuity of 20/20 to 20/40 with rigid gas-permeable contact lenses or glasses. Among eyes that underwent PK for keratoconus, 73.2% had BCVA of 20/40 or better. Graft rejection occurred in 28.2% of eyes.
Early detection and treatment of complications are critical to graft survival and visual outcome. Many cases of rejection can be treated successfully with topical steroids, Dr. Felipe said.
- Disclosure: Dr. Felipe reported no relevant financial relationships.