Epikeratoplasty for keratoconus using manually dissected fresh lenticules: 4-year follow-up.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Epikeratoplasty for keratoconus, in the absence of apical scarring, aims at reducing high irregular myopic astigmatism and provides an ectatic cornea with mechanical support. METHODS: We performed epikeratoplasty on 11 keratoconic corneas using fresh or McCarey-Kaufman preserved, manually dissected donor lenticules. A disparity of 0.5 mm was maintained between the host and the donor. Patients with keratoconus having a preoperative spectacle-corrected visual acuity of less than 6/60 and intolerance to contact lens wear were included in this prospective study. Spectacle-corrected visual acuity, keratometry, and refraction were analyzed over a 4-year follow-up period. RESULTS: Four ..