Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
10:46
Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
Radial keratotomy associated endothelial degeneration
Majid Moshirfar1, Andrew Ollerton, Rodmehr T Semnani
1John A Moran Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.)
|February 21, 2012
Summary
Radial keratotomy (RK) can lead to endothelial degeneration, potentially worsening with age. Descemet
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Corneal Surgery
- Ocular Surface Disease
Background:
- Radial keratotomy (RK) is a refractive surgical procedure.
- Endothelial degeneration is a condition affecting the cornea's inner layer.
- Guttata refers to small, wart-like deposits on Descemet's membrane.
Observation:
- A retrospective series identified 13 eyes with guttata and prior RK.
- Patients presented with moderate to severe guttata an average of 18.7 years post-RK.
- Best corrected visual acuity ranged from 20/25 to 20/80.
Findings:
- RK may induce a spectrum of endothelial degeneration.
- In elderly patients, guttata may indicate coexisting Fuch's dystrophy, accelerated by RK.
- One patient underwent penetrating keratoplasty and DSAEK.
Implications:
- RK-induced endothelial changes can manifest years after surgery.
- DSAEK may be a viable treatment for RK-related endothelial degeneration in select cases.
- Corneal surgeons should consider RK history when evaluating endothelial dysfunction.
