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Vernal keratoconjunctivitis does not appear to affect PK results for keratoconus

Cornea. 2009:28(1):14-18.

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No significant difference was found between graft survival rates at any time interval after penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus in eyes with and without a history of vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Visual outcomes were also comparable, with a median final best corrected visual acuity of 20/30 in both groups.

In a retrospective review of 464 eyes undergoing PK for keratoconus over a 5-year period at a single institution, 80 eyes (17.2%) had vernal keratoconjunctivitis and 384 eyes (82.8%) did not. Graft survival rates were high in both groups, achieving 97.3% at 5 years in the vernal keratoconjunctivitis group and 95.5% in eyes without vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Neither fungal keratitis nor endophthalmitis occurred in either group, nor was there any significant difference in rates of postoperative endothelial rejection, bacterial keratitis, glaucoma, wound dehiscence, early onset persistent epithelial defects or secondary cataract.

"Most cases of BCVA of less than 20/40 resulted from a difficulty with visual rehabilitation owing to large refractive errors, rather than graft failure, secondary cataract, glaucomatous optic atrophy, or vitreoretinal pathology" the study authors said.