[Keratoplasty in children]

The authors report anatomical and functional results of 24 keratoplasties in children aged 7 months to 15 years, incl. analysis of peroperative and postoperative complications. A total of 24 keratoplastics were performed on 20 eyes of 20 children. The mean follow up period was 2.1 years. Nineteen times the first operation was involved, three times the first, twice the second rekeratoplasty. The most frequent postoperative complication was an immunological reaction of the disk which occurred in 33%. It caused turbidity of five disks. After keratoplasty 11 disks remained transparent (45.8%), 10 disks became turbid (41.7%) and three disks semitransparent (12.5%). A visual acuity of 6/12 or better was recorded in 7 eyes (39%) and 6/60 and better in 6 eyes (30%). The cause of reduced visual acuity beneath 6/12 with a clear disk was in three instances amblyopia, in one case nystagmus.