"Tuck In" Lamellar Keratoplasty (TILK) for corneal ectasias involving corneal periphery.

AIMS Evaluation of a new surgical technique for the management of corneal ectasia with peripheral corneal involvement. METHODS Twelve eyes of 12 patients with corneal ectasias and peripheral corneal thinning requiring surgical intervention, including eight patients with combined keratoconus and PMD and four patients of keratoglobus, were enrolled for the study in a tertiary care hospital. All patients were contact lens intolerant and had a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) /=20/60, and all patients had BCVA >/=20/80. The mean keratometry decreased from 57.54 (SD 6.89) D preoperatively to 46.36 (2.39) D (p = 0.003), and the mean spherical equivalent (SEQ) refractive error decreased from -7.8 (4.6) D preoperatively to 1.23 (1.88) D (p = 0.007). A significant decrease was also seen in mean refractive astigmatism which decreased from 5.93 (3.06) D preoperatively to 3.23 (1.14) D (p = 0.037). CONCLUSION Our technique of TILK is an effective surgical modality for the management of ectatic corneal dystrophies with peripheral corneal thinning.