Management of trachomatous keratopathy by automated lamellar therapeutic keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of automated lamellar therapeutic keratoplasty (ALTK) for the management of anterior corneal stromal scarring caused by trachoma.

METHODS

Seventeen cases of trachomatous keratopathy that were treated by ALTK were retrospectively evaluated. The main outcome measures were uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), keratometry, pachymetry, time to epithelialization, graft clarity, and complications, if any.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 50.3 ± 14.1 years. Five of the 17 cases had Salzmann nodular degeneration. The mean decimal BCVA was 0.06 ± 0.05 preoperatively, which improved to 0.41 ± 0.16 at 12 months, and 12 eyes (70.6%) had a postoperative BCVA of 6/18 or better. The median epithelialization time was 6 days (range, 1-38 days). Persistent epithelial defect developed in 6 eyes, and 1 eye developed graft infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Anterior stromal corneal scarring caused by trachoma can be effectively treated with ALTK. However, occurrence of persistent epithelial defects may complicate the success of this surgery.