Femtosecond laser-assisted sutureless anterior lamellar keratoplasty.
OBJECTIVE
To report the technique and small case series results of femtosecond laser-assisted sutureless anterior lamellar keratoplasty (FALK) for anterior corneal pathology.


METHODS
Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.


METHODS
Twelve consecutive eyes from 12 patients with anterior corneal scarring.


METHODS
Femtosecond laser-assisted sutureless anterior lamellar keratoplasty.


METHODS
Measured parameters included femtosecond laser settings, technique, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and complications.


RESULTS
Mean follow-up was 12.7 months (range, 6-24). No intraoperative complications were found. Uncorrected visual acuity (VA) improved in 7 eyes (58.3%) compared with preoperative VA. The mean difference between preoperative and postoperative UCVAs was a gain of 2.5 lines (range, unchanged-7 lines). Best-corrected VA was unchanged or improved in all eyes compared with preoperative levels. The mean difference between preoperative and postoperative BCVAs was a gain of 3.8 lines (range, unchanged-8 lines). In 2 eyes, adjuvant surgical procedures were performed (one treated with phototherapeutic keratectomy and the other with photorefractive keratectomy). Six patients (50%) developed dry eye after FALK, which improved during the follow-up period. No graft rejection, infection, or epithelial ingrowth was found in this series of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Femtosecond laser-assisted sutureless anterior lamellar keratoplasty could improve UCVA and BCVA in patients with anterior corneal pathology.
Yoo
Sonia H
SH
Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute-University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA. syoo@med.miami.edu
Kymionis
George D
GD
Koreishi
Aaleya
A
Ide
Takeshi
T
Goldman
David
D
Karp
Carol L
CL
O'Brien
Terrence P
TP
Culbertson
William W
WW
Alfonso
Eduardo C
EC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology