title: Visual improvement as a function of time after lamellar keratoplasty for keratoconus.
abstract: Twenty-eight keratoconic patients with either contact-lens intolerance or marked corneal scarring over the visual axis underwent lamellar keratoplasty for visual rehabilitation. All 28 patients returned for follow-up at six months, 27 (98%) had follow-up at one year, and 23 (82%) at two years. The 23 patients with two-year follow-up showed progressive improvement of visual acuity over time. At six months, 11 of 23 patients (48%) had visual acuity of 20/30 or better. At one year, 17 of 23 (74%) had 20/30 or better, and at two years, 21 of 23 (91%) had 20/30 or better. The average postoperative keratometry measurement at two years was 43.5 diopters (S.D. = 2.5 diopters), which represented an average reduction of 13 diopters from preoperative keratometry. All patients who were less than 32 years old obtained visual acuity of 20/30 or better after two years and reached this level significantly (F = 6.75, P = .02) sooner than those more than 32 years old. These results compare favorably with previously reported visual results after penetrating keratoplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Goosey
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Prager
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Goosey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014787:Vision Tests; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*