[Development of keratophakia and new research advances in lenticule transplantation].

In the 1980s, a new treatment of aphakia and keratoconus with keratophakia thrived because of its simple, effective and reversible characteristics. However, due to the limited cornea resources and the unpredictability of long-term treatment effects, epikeratophakia has not been widely accepted. Refractive lenticule extraction is a type of corneal refractive surgery with minimal invasiveness, accuracy and good refractive stability and has got great clinical attention and promotion. The removed refractive stromal lenticules as good graft materials can be applied for treatment of keratoconus and hyperopia based on the epikeratophakia principle. This review describes the history and development of keratophakia and the basic research and clinical effect of refractive lenticule transplantation. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54: 792-796).