Epikeratophakia: the surgical correction of aphakia. II. Preliminary results in a non-human primate model.

We have developed a new form of refractive surgery, epikeratophakia, in which a disc of donor corneal tissue is lathed to a specific dioptric power and sutured on top of the recipient's cornea after the recipient epithelium has been removed. The optical correction obtained with epikeratophakia should be similar in quality to that of a contact lens, but would be permanent and would require no maintenance. A non-human primate model was used to test the predictability, stability, and clarity of epikeratophakia grafts. After surgery, the grafts did not always re-epithelialize readily; this problem has been solved with the use of a small, steep, soft bandage contact lens. For the nine month period of this study, the epikeratophakia grafts have remained clear and the curvatures of the anterior surfaces have remained constant. However, the actual visual potential of these grafts can be evaluated only by a controlled clinical study in humans.