Indications for penetrating keratoplasty in Iran.

PURPOSE: To determine the indications for penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in Iran.

METHODS

: All eye bank records of patients who had undergone PK between 1994 and 2004 at ophthalmic centers throughout the country were reviewed.

RESULTS

During this 11-year period, a total of 19,668 cases were operated on. The most common indication for PK was keratoconus (n = 6787, 34.51%), followed by corneal opacity and scar (n = 3674, 18.68%), pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (n = 1808, 9.19%), corneal dystrophies (n = 1272, 6.47%), aphakic bullous keratopathy (n = 1198, 6.09%), and regraft (n = 1038, 5.28%). There was an increasing trend in rates of keratoconus and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy and a decreasing trend in aphakic bullous keratopathy over this period (P < 0.001). No significant change of trend was noted in the corneal opacity and scar, regraft, and corneal dystrophy groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Keratoconus is the most common indication for PK in Iran.