[Outcomes of circular tunnel keratoplasty]

A new refraction operation for the correction of medium and high myopia, circulatory tunnel keratoplasty, has been theoretically validated, developed, experimentally tested, and tried in clinic. Experiments included 8 tested, in isolated cadaveric eyes and 72 surgeries on 39 rabbits. Experiments helped develop surgical equipment and technique. A relationship between the refraction effect and the diameter of the circulatory tunnel and implant thickness has been revealed. Time course of the refraction effect has been followed up for up to 2 years. The refraction diminished from 4.0 to 11.0 diopters. Thirty eyes of 21 patients with stable myopia of 6.0 to 22.0 diopters were operated on with the resultant refraction of 6.0 to 14.0 diopters. The results have confirmed the relationship between the refraction effect of surgery and the implant thickness. The authors claim that circulatory tunnel keratoplasty is an effective method for the correction of medium and high myopia and recommend it for clinical application.