Corneal compression sutures for the reduction of astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty

We placed interrupted 9-0 nylon sutures across the graft-host interface of ten eyes with more than 5 diopters of keratometric cylinder after penetrating keratoplasty in order to steepen the flattest corneal meridian and reduce the amount of corneal cylinder. Placement of compression sutures reduced corneal cylinder by an average of almost 6 diopters one week later. Average corneal cylinder was 5.1 diopters nine to 12 months after surgery. Best-corrected visual acuity with spectacles improved by an average of two Snellen lines (20/60 to 20/40) and uncorrected visual acuity improved by an average of one line (20/300 to 20/200). There were no complications related to placement of the sutures. This procedure provides a rapid and simple method for reducing astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty.