Complications of keratoplasty

The complications of keratoplasty have been greatly reduced in recent years by virtue of finer instrumentation, microsurgery, new drugs to minimize postoperative complications, and improved methods of donor cornea preversation. A 49-year-old woman, following uncomplicated keratoplasty with donor material from a patient who had died of a slow virus disease, developed the same condition and died 18 months later. Until more evidence is available, donor material from individuals dying of obscure chronic central nervous system disorders should be used with extreme caution.