Cataract surgery combined with ocular surface reconstruction in patients with severe cicatricial keratoconjunctivitis.

PURPOSE: To present the technique and outcome of cataract surgery combined with ocular surface reconstruction in patients with severe cicatricial keratoconjunctivitis.

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.

METHODS

Phacoemulsification with transplantation of a limbal allograft and an amniotic membrane was performed in 4 eyes of 3 patients with cataract and end-stage cicatricial keratoconjunctivitis. The surgical technique and the improvements in visual acuity were reviewed. The follow-up ranged from 13 to 27 months.

RESULTS

Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were performed in all cases without intraoperative complications. In 3 of the 4 eyes, the best corrected visual acuity improved from hand motions to 20/100, hand motions to 20/30, and counting fingers to 20/50. The visual acuity recovered to 20/60 postoperatively in 1 eye in which the preoperative visual acuity was light perception; at 1 year, the visual acuity decreased to hand motions because of recurrent fibrous tissue over the cornea.

CONCLUSION

Small-incision phacoemulsification was performed safely in combination with ocular surface reconstruction in patients with cataract and end-stage cicatricial keratoconjunctivitis.