Survey of Experts on Current Endothelial Keratoplasty Techniques

To survey cornea specialists' opinions on different endothelial keratoplasty techniques and to gauge the perceived need for and utility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing them.

A short survey was distributed to a group of cornea specialists at the Endothelial Keratoplasty Group meeting at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in November 2015.

Thirty-three of 80 practicing surgeons present at the EKG meeting participated in the survey, yielding a response rate of 41%. Ninety-seven percent (n=32) of our respondents reported performing Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK) regularly, and 70% reported having performed Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) at least once (n=23). While most respondents (n=26, 79%) thought there was at least some evidence that DMEK is superior to DSEK in terms of visual acuity, there was less certainty about comparing ultrathin-DSEK (UT-DSEK) to DMEK with 48% (n=16) thinking there was at least some evidence of DMEK's superiority, 6% (n=2) thinking there was at least some evidence of UT-DSEK's superiority, and 30% (n=10) unsure. Seventy-two percent (n=23) of respondents thought an RCT comparing visual acuity outcomes in UT-DSEK versus DMEK would be at least moderately beneficial, and 82% (n=27) reported they were at least moderately likely to change their EK technique based on the results of said RCT.

There is substantial interest in an RCT comparing visual acuity outcomes in UT-DSEK versus DMEK.