Intacs implantation effective alternative to PK for keratoconus patients with clear corneas

Implanting Intacs segments can be considered a safe and effective alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus patients of all ages who have clear corneas that are intolerant of gas permeable contact lenses, a retrospective study found.

Aylin Ertan, MD, and Ersel Ozkilic, MD, compared 1-year visual outcomes of Intacs segment (Addition Technology) implantation with femtosecond laser for 109 eyes of 62 patients with keratoconus who had clear corneas and were contact lens intolerant.

For analysis, all patients were separated into three groups. Group one consisted of 20 eyes of 12 patients who were aged between 13 and 19 years; group two consisted of 75 eyes of 42 patients who were aged between 20 and 35 years; group three consisted of 14 eyes of eight patients who were between 35 and 56 years of age.

The investigators found that postoperative uncorrected visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity, manifest refraction spherical equivalent and keratometry values had statistically significantly improved in all groups (P > .05)

The differences in UCVA (P = .93), BCVA (P = .47), manifest refraction spherical equivalent (P = .205), and keratometry values (P =. 545) were also similar among groups at baseline and postop, according to the study, published in the September issue of Journal of Refractive Surgery.