Corneal autograft and allograft in a 10-month-old premature boy with acquired bilateral corneal opacities.

PURPOSE: To report a case in which corneal autograft and allograft were performed in a 10.5-month-old, ex 24-week, premature boy with bilateral corneal opacities from infectious keratitis.

METHODS

Case report based upon chart review.

RESULTS

At 3 years, the corneal autograft is clear without vascular ingrowth. After transplantation, the clarity of the autograft improved markedly and unexpectedly from its pretransplantation appearance. The child fixes and follows and has central steady maintained fixation at near with a spectacle correction of +11.00 diopters. The allografted cornea is opaque with 360 degrees of vascular ingrowth. This eye is phthisical with no response to light.

CONCLUSIONS

In circumstances in which a viable cornea is available from the patient's worse prognosis eye, a corneal autograft is a potential treatment option.