[Therapeutic problems in postoperative keratopathy (author's transl)].

Keratopathy following intraocular surgery is usually a neglegible transitory lesion which does not require special treatment. An intractible bullous keratopathy frequently develops in cases of endothelial dystrophy. Other causative factors leading to postoperative keratopathy are excessive operative traumatisation of the cornea, vitreocorneal adhesions, athalamia, detachment of Descemet's membrane or epithelial down-growth. For conservative treatment of postoperative keratopathies topical application of corticosteroids, acetylcholine, vitamine-A-ointments, hyperosmotic agents, soft contact lenses, and systemic application of carboanhydrase inhibitors can be used. According to our experience even in cases of severe keratopathy a significant improvement of visual acuity and discomfort may be achieved by long lasting and intensive conservative treatment. Only in rare cases one has to resort to glueing a contact lens on the cornea (Dohlman) or to perform a keratoplasty using Stocker's technique.