Penetrating keratoplasty using femtosecond laser-enabled keratoplasty

ABSTRAGT Background/aims This paper will compare the visual outcomes of two dffierent penetrating keratoplasty (PKPI techniques in patients with keratoconus. lt is a retrospective comparative surgical case series of 116 keratoconus patients {137 eyes} who had PKP at the Cornea Eye Institute, Bevedy Hills, California, USA. Methods 56 keratoconus patients (66 eyesl underwent femtosecond laser-enabled keratoplasty (FLEKI with a zig-zag incision configuration. Their visual parameters were compared with those of 60 patients (7'l eyes) who had traditional blade mechanical trephination PKP. The range of follow-up was between 3 and 6 months. Jhe main outcome measures included uncorrected visual acuity and best spectacle-corected visual acuity (BSCVA), manifest refractive spherical equivalent and topographically determined astigmatism. Results BSCVA was significantly better as early as 3 months postoperatively (p:0.001) in the FLEK group. Visual recovery to20140 after 3 months was significantly better in the FLEK group (p<0.001). Topographic astigmatism was lower in the FLEK group, but the difference between the two groups reached significance only at 3 months of follow-up (p:0.001 ). Postoperative comolications noted were not different between the two groups Conclusions Faster visual recovery and better long-term outcomes were observed in keratoconus oatients who had FLEK compared with those who had the mechanical PKP procedure with 6 months of postoperative follow-up.