Hydrogel keratophakia in non-human primates.

We performed sixteen keratophakia procedures in nine non-human primates using various hydrogel lenses (38% to 79% water) as donor corneas (lenticules). The lenses were treated as if they were donor human corneas using currently practiced keratophakia procedures including microkeratome resection of the recipient cornea, staining of the lenses before cryolathing and, in some cases, lathing according to a modified computer program after which the lenses were inserted into a previously dissected recipient lamellar pocket. This technique was able to produce steepening of the cornea up to 44.8 diopters and was well tolerated for over three months. The use of hydrogel lenses could potentially eliminate many of the negative aspects of the use of human donor corneas for the surgical correction of aphakia.