[Corneal sensibility following epikeratophakia]

The postoperative rate of reinnervation following corneal surgery is widely considered to be a useful indicator of the healing process. This study reports the corneal sensitivity of 14 patients following epikeratophakia for different indications (myopia, aphakia and keratoconus) after time periods ranging from 7 to 104 weeks. All transplants were clear at the time of measurement. A newly developed aesthesiometer (using a low electric current for stimulation) was employed. Nine positions on the operated eye were chosen for the measurements, five locations of the non-operated fellow eye served as controls. On the operated eye the corneal sensitivity peripheral to the trephination were significantly reduced at the 9 and 12 o'clock positions as compared to the other eye. The 3 and 6 o'clock locations showed no significant difference. On the epikeratophakia lenticule the sensitivity was significantly reduced at all points, the center showing the largest difference (p less than 0.001). No correlation with age, sex or the indication for the procedure was observed. Although there was a trend of a positive correlation between the postoperative time period and the central corneal sensitivity, the follow-up was too short to reach significant levels. The nearly complete lack of corneal sensitivity, particularly in the center of the transplant is therefore well compatible with its long-time survival, even when the lenticule has been prepared with the cryolathe and lyophilized for transportation.