title: Topography-guided surface ablation for forme fruste keratoconus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of customized surface ablation in cases of forme fruste keratoconus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective noncomparative case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven eyes of 8 contact lens-intolerant patients with forme fruste keratoconus treated at the Institute of Refractive and Ophthalmic Surgery and the University Eye Clinic Zurich.
  
  
  METHODS
  Topography-guided customized surface ablation by means of a scanning spot excimer laser.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual acuity, refraction, quality of vision (ghosting), corneal topography including the Zernike parameter Z3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant reduction of manifest refractive error, corneal irregularity, and ghosting. The spherical equivalent was reduced by -2.8+/-0.62 diopters (D) (P = 0.0007), the cylinder by 1.34 +/- 0.18 D (P = 0.015), Z3 was reduced by 41% (P<0.001), and all patients had less ghosting compared to their preoperative status. No eye lost > or =1 lines in best spectacle-corrected visual acuity; however, 7 of 11 eyes gained > or = 1 line.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topography-guided surface ablation is a promising option to rehabilitate vision in contact lens-intolerant patients with forme fruste keratoconus.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Refraktive und Ophthalmochirurgie, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: Hans Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Iseli
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donitzky
authors.forename: Dipl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ing
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seiler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019781:Corneal Topography; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008875:Middle Aged; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology