Corneal Opacity after Partial Lamellar Keratectomy.

CASTROVEJO (1955) stated that opacities of the cornea, provided that they did not involve the whole thickness might be removed by clean dissection of the affected external layers. If infection, formation of granulation tissue, or revascularization is prevented during the post-operative period, the epithelium grows over the dissected area, the cornea remains transparent or fairly transparent, and visual improvement results. The depth of dissection depends upon that of the opacity, usually from one-third to a half of the corneal thickness has to be removed before a clear corneal stroma is reached. In some of these cases as much as two-thirds of the corneal thickness requires excision in order to remove all or most of the opacified cornea. If cloudiness develops over the pupillary area and the visual improvement is insufficient for the patient's needs, a partial lamellar or partial penetrating keratoplasty may still be performed.