title: Endothelial keratoplasty: fellow eyes comparison of Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate patients' perspectives and outcomes of 2 different endothelial keratoplasty (EK) techniques performed in the fellow eyes of the same patients: Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this fellow eye, comparative, retrospective case series, the records of 15 patients who underwent DSAEK in 1 eye and DMEK in the fellow eye and completed at least 1 year of follow-up after the second procedure were reviewed. Visual outcomes and endothelial cell density were assessed. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using a subjective questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12 months postoperatively, the mean best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) in the DMEK group was 0.07 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/24) and 0.20 logMAR (20/32) in the DSAEK group (P = 0.004). The majority of the patients (85%) perceived better visual quality in the DMEK eye. Furthermore, 62% preferred or would recommend DMEK to a friend or relative, whereas 15% preferred DSAEK and 23% reported no preference between the surgical procedures. The 1-year endothelial cell loss and the perceived discomfort level during the postoperative period were comparable for the 2 procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the patients preferred or would recommend the DMEK procedure. Faster visual recovery and better final visual acuity were the main benefits of the DMEK technique.
authors: Cornea Research Foundation of America, Indianapolis, IN 46260, USA.
authors: Frederico P
authors: FP
authors: Guerra
authors: Arundhati
authors: A
authors: Anshu
authors: Marianne O
authors: MO
authors: Price
authors: Francis W
authors: FW
authors: Price
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D057111:Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology