Epikeratoplasty for keratoconus. Report of 40 cases.

Forty cases of keratoconus were surgically treated with epikeratoplasty. The surgical technique is aimed at reducing the degree of high irregular myopic astigmatism of keratoconus and providing the ectatic cornea with a permanent mechanical support. Nearly all patients showed a satisfactory improvement in uncorrected and best corrected visual acuity. This reduction of preoperative astigmatism and spherical equivalent with a regularization of the corneal surface permitted the fitting of contact lenses for daily wear in patients who were preoperatively intolerant of them.