[Keratoplasty in children and adolescents]

In a retrospective study 37 penetrating keratoplasties performed on 33 eyes of 29 patients under age 12 were evaluated. One year postoperatively, 19 of 35 grafts were clear and 16 of 35 had failed. In the group aged under 3, most of whom had congenital anomalies, 4 of 14 had clear grafts and 10 of 14 failed grafts after one year. Two patients were not investigated one year after keratoplasty, but probably had cloudy grafts at that time. Loosening of the sutures and keratitis were the main complications in the postoperative course. Graft rejection was clinically diagnosed in 11 of 37 cases.