Short-term visual outcomes of Boston type 1 keratoprosthesis implantation.
OBJECTIVE
To report the short-term visual outcomes after keratoprosthesis implantation.


METHODS
Retrospective multi center case series (Wilmer Eye Institute and University of Rochester Eye Institute).


METHODS
One hundred twenty-two patients (126 eyes) with corneal diseases that were deemed ineligible to receive donor corneal transplants.


METHODS
Patients underwent a Boston type I keratoprosthesis procedure for visual rehabilitation.


METHODS
The medical records of the patients were reviewed to assess intraoperative and postoperative complications, uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity, as well as the degree of refractive error at various time points.


RESULTS
One hundred four patients (82.5%) achieved improved vision within 6 months after surgery. An overwhelming majority of those patients who had improved vision had a manifest refraction of plano. The mean spherical refractive error was -0.57 diopters (D) and mean astigmatism was 0.10 D. Cumulatively, 7.1% patients achieved their best-corrected vision at 1 day, 24.6% at 1 week, and 70.6% at 3 months. The patients who achieved their best-corrected visual acuity after the first 3-month period most often were the ones who required multiple surgeries owing to preexisting or postoperative complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Boston keratoprosthesis seems to provide rapid visual recovery with excellent uncorrected acuity in the early postoperative period.


BACKGROUND
The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article.
Dunlap
Karen
K
Ocular Surface Diseases and Dry Eye Clinic, The Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287-9238, USA.
Chak
Garrick
G
Aquavella
James V
JV
Myrowitz
Elliott
E
Utine
Canan Asli
CA
Akpek
Esen
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001187:Artificial Organs; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003315:Cornea; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult