Conductive keratoplasty for the treatment of astigmatism induced by corneal trauma or incision.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy, safety, and predictability of conductive keratoplasty for the treatment of corneal trauma/incision-induced hyperopic or compound astigmatism.

METHODS

Thirteen eyes with corneal trauma/incision-induced astigmatism underwent conductive keratoplasty in this prospective study. The main outcome measures included distance uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), near UCVA, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), manifest refraction cylinder, keratometric astigmatism, manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE), contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, intraocular pressure, tear break-up time, endothelial cell count, and pachymetry. Patients were followed 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

Mean logMAR scores for distance UCVA, near UCVA, and BSCVA significantly improved from 0.87+/-0.31, 1.32+/-0.41, and 0.18+/-0.18, respectively, to 0.32+/-0.21, 0.59+/-0.21, and 0.08+/-0.11 (P<or=.05), respectively, 6 months after conductive keratoplasty. Mean manifest refraction cylinder, keratometric astigmatism, and MRSE significantly reduced from 4.12+/-2.86 diopters (D), 4.15+/-2.40 D, and 0.73+/-2.56 D, respectively, to 1.46+/-1.35 D, 1.66+/-1.44 D, and -0.52+/-0.99 D (P<or=.05), respectively, at 6 months postoperatively. Contrast sensitivity and glare sensitivity showed significant improvement at spatial frequencies of 1, 1.6, 2.5, 4, and 6.3 cycles per degree (P<or=.05). Surgically induced astigmatism calculated by vector analysis highly correlated to target induced astigmatism (P<or=.05). No severe complications occurred postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that conductive keratoplasty is an effective and safe treatment for hyperopic or compound astigmatism after corneal trauma or incision.