Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
Full-Field Optical Coherence Microscopy for Histology-Like Analysis of Stromal Features in Corneal Grafts
Published on: October 21, 2022
[Astigmatism after keratoplasty: influence of orthotopic transplantation]
J Feuerstacke1, O Hellwinkel, I Naydis
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Gebäude W40, 20246, Hamburg, Deutschland, Jana.Feuerstacke@stud.uke.uni-hamburg.de.
Background:
Patients undergoing corneal transplantation often suffer from postoperative reduced vision due to high astigmatism. This retrospective study analyzed the influence of heterotopic or orthotopic transplantation on astigmatism and visual outcome.
Patients And Methods:
In this study 373 eyes of 334 patients were analyzed. Group 1 (OT) contained 186 eyes, which underwent orthotopic transplantation (side of recipient and donor corresponded), whereas group 2 (HT) included 187 heterotopic keratoplasties (donor cornea placed in the recipient's contralateral side). After 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months the median of keratometric astigmatism, objective astigmatism, topographic astigmatism and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were assessed and compared between groups.
Results:
The long-term results showed no statistically significant differences regarding keratometric and objective astigmatism, whereas topographic astigmatism differed significantly (p = 0.04) after 3 months. We observed a lower astigmatism of 5.7 dpt (range 3.08-7.78 dpt) in group OT than in the group HT with 7.1 dpt (range 3.9-10.7 dpt). No differences were found at the other time points. The BCVA showed a significantly better effect after 1 month (p = 0.01) in the OT group of 0.2 (0.1-0.3) than in HT group of 0.1 (0.05/0.25). In the postoperative course no additional significant dissimilarities were documented.
Conclusions:
Heterotopic and orthotopic keratoplasty show no significant long-term differences in astigmatism and visual outcom.
