Outcomes of corneal transplantation: a corneal surgeon vs the general ophthalmologist

The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of corneal transplantation in cases performed by a group of general ophthalmologists and those performed by an ophthalmologist with a subspecialist interest in corneal surgery.

A retrospective analysis of the outcomes in corneal transplantation was carried out for a 4-year period in three separate units in South Wales. In addition to patient demographic details, the primary diagnosis, type of keratoplasty performed, and outcome of surgery were noted. The data were analysed statistically by the Mann-Whitney U-test (one-tailed).

Group A (n=35) was defined as those patients whose surgery was performed by a general ophthalmologist. There were seven surgeons in this group with a mean of five procedures each over the study period. Group B (n=54) were all operated on by the same surgeon. The mean age in both groups was similar with group A comprising of 66% males with 50% males in group B. The commonest indication for surgery in both groups was endothelial cell failure In group A, graft clarity at 1 year was 83% for all aetiologies and 73% at 2 years. In group B, the results were 97 and 92%, respectively. In group A, overall 56% achieved 6/18 or better compared with 68% in group B. In group A 73% had an improvement of one or more lines compared with 84% in group B (P=0.085). Reasons for graft failure in both groups were similar.

The success rate of corneal transplantation carried out by general ophthalmologists in this study is reduced when compared with cases performed by a corneal surgeon. The explanation for this is not clear, but is undoubtedly multifactorial.