Penetrating keratoplasty for pseudophakic bullous keratopathy after extracapsular cataract extraction.

Seventeen women underwent simple penetrating keratoplasty for pseudophakic bullous keratopathy after extracapsular cataract extraction. Corneal edema occurred an average of eight months after cataract surgery (range, zero to 32 months). Of 17 corneal grafts, 16 (94%) have remained clear during an average follow-up period of 14 months (range, two to 32 months). One eye had a nonimmunologic graft failure. Of 16 eyes with clear grafts, 14 (87%) achieved a visual acuity of 20/40 or better after surgery. Two eyes with a visual acuity of 20/50 and 20/200 had opacified posterior capsules and one demonstrated age-related macular degeneration. One eye with a postoperative visual acuity of 20/40 demonstrated cystoid macular edema. Fifteen of 17 contralateral eyes showed slit-lamp evidence of endothelial dystrophy.