[Boston keratoprosthesis type 1]

Penetrating keratoplasty is the most commonly performed tissue transplant in the world. However, its success depends on the health of the ocular surface and the intact immune privilege of the eye. In the absence of these two conditions, corneal transplants have an increased failure rate and result in corneal blindness. For more than two hundred years, researchers have been trying to find the best design of the artificial cornea in order to address these cases of severe corneal blindness. Despite previous difficulties, interest in the field has recently been revived, and considerable progress has been made over the last 20 years, to the point where the keratoprosthesis is now considered a primary procedure for some indications and is no longer always a surgery of last resort. In this review, we describe the global and personal experience with Boston keratoprosthesis type 1. It is a relatively new treatment for severe corneal blindness in the context of multiple failed corneal transplants and high-risk conditions. In the last decade, changes in the design, surgical technique, and postoperative management have increased the success rate and popularity of the Boston keratoprosthesis and decreased its complications substantially, making it a safe and effective alternative for certain corneal pathologies. However, some complications persist and require management to improve the visual prognosis of patients with corneal blindness.