[Surgical treatment of high grade progressive myopia. Results and histological studies]

Since 1987 scleroplastic operations have been performed at the Clinic of Ophthalmology in Magdeburg in patients suffering from progressive high-grade myopia. Lyophilized dura transplants are used for these operations. The patients are up to 30 years of age and all were reexamined 1 year after the operation. During the follow-up study we observed no change in axial length in 80% of the patients; a positive tendency in the behaviour of the visus and increased rigidity of the sclera. There were few complications of the operation, and these were mild and transitory. They disappeared when treated with anti-inflammatory drops. Additional histological investigations were performed in animals. Rabbit's eyes showed vitalization of the lyophilized tissue after initial inflammation and antibody reaction. Goats' eyes did not show any signs of inflammation when examined after 3 months, and the transplants had taken well on the sclera.