Resuturing of graft can reduce astigmatism in keratoconus progression

Compressive resuturing of the corneal graft can satisfactorily reduce late-onset astigmatism due to progression of keratoconus, according to an Australian study.

Douglas John Coster and colleagues at Flinders University of South Australia studied the compressive resuturing technique in 10 eyes of 10 patients in which progression of keratoconus in the host cornea occurred more than 10 years after penetrating keratoplasty with a resultant increase in astigmatism.

The mean cylinder power before host thinning was noted was 5.07 D, and the mean after host thinning was 11 D. The mean magnitude of vector-calculated disease-induced astigmatism was 7.59 D.

The graft refractive surgery technique included an incision at the graft-host junction adjacent to the thinning of the host tissue, followed by compressive resuturing.

Refractive surgery on the graft was performed in seven eyes. Mean cylinder power of 11.28 D before surgery was reduced to 7.09 D after graft refractive surgery.

The study is published in the March issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology.