[Visual outcome in keratoconus patients 1 and 2 years after penetrating keratoplasty]

To quantify the visual outcome obtained in patients operated on for penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus (KC) after 1 and 2 years.

and methods: The files from consecutive keratoconus patients operated on for PKP after more than 2 years of follow-up were retrospectively studied. The demographic charts, the KC stage, and the surgical features were noted. The best corrected visual acuities (BSCVA) were analyzed at the initial examination and after 1 and 2 years of follow-up.

One hundred and two eyes from 98 patients were analyzed, including 83 grade 4 (81%) and 19 grade 3 (18%) cases of KC. The mean preoperative BSCVA was 0.08 on the decimal chart, which increased to 0.5 and 0.6 1 and 2 years after penetrating keratoplasty (p<0.001, respectively). The mean keratometric astigmatism was 3.80+/-2.9 D and 3.94+/-2.3 D for the grade 3 and 4 KC, respectively, after 1 year and 2.52+/-1.9 D and 3.34+/-2.2 D after 2 years (NS). At this time point, 81% of the eyes had less than 5 D astigmatism.

One and 2 years after penetrating keratoplasty, a mean BSCVA of 0.5 and 0.6 could reasonably be expected in keratoconus patients and three-quarters of patients can be expected to see better than 0.5 after 2 years.