[Visual outcomes after Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Surgery
• Visual Rehabilitation

Background:

• Fuchs endothelial dystrophy is a progressive corneal disease affecting vision.
• Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is a surgical option for advanced Fuchs.
• Understanding visual outcomes and quality of life post-DMEK is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate visual rehabilitation and quality of life 6 months after DMEK in Fuchs patients.
• To identify factors influencing visual outcomes and patient well-being post-surgery.
• To assess postoperative optical aberrations and their impact.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 32 patients (35 eyes) undergoing DMEK.
• Measurements included visual acuity, endothelial cell density, pachymetry, and intraocular pressure at various intervals.
• Aberrometry, OCT, and NEI-VFQ-25 quality of life survey were performed at 6 months.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in visual acuity, decreased pachymetry, and reduced endothelial cell density were observed.
• Intraocular pressure showed a statistically significant increase.
• Post-DMEK aberrations were higher than controls but considered negligible; no correlation with visual acuity or quality of life was found.

Conclusions:

• DMEK offers effective visual rehabilitation and enhances quality of life for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy patients.
• While higher-order aberrations exist post-DMEK, they do not compromise visual quality or patient-reported outcomes.