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LONG TERM RESULTS OF CORNEAL GRAFTING IN KERATOCONUS
Author(s) -
EHLERS NIELS,
OLSEN THOMAS
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1983.tb01474.x
Subject(s) - keratoconus , medicine , ophthalmology , visual acuity , cornea , surgery
Fifty‐four corneal grafts in 45 keratoconus patients have been followed for 3 to 12 years (average 5.8 years). The corneal clarity, visual acuity, incidence of immune rejections, relation to HLA compatibility, corneal thickness and endothelial cell density are reported. At the follow‐up 98% (53 out of 54) of the grafts were clear. Visual acuity was ≥ 0.67 in 72% of the cases. Suboptimal vision was due to cataract or large astigmatism. Rejection had occurred in 5 cases (10%). The graft thickness was found to decrease steadily, reaching subnormal values about 1/2 year after the operation. Six years after grafting, however, the thickness did not differ from that of normal corneas. The endothelial cell density in uncomplicated cases ranged from 450 to 3000 cells/mm 2 , decreasing with length of post‐operative period. The HLA compatibility could not be shown to influence the endothelial cell density.