Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 15, 2025
Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
Fungal Infectious Interface Keratitis Presenting 2 Years After Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Neel S Vaidya1,2, Rachel H Epstein1,2, Parag A Majmudar1,2
1Chicago Cornea Consultants, Ltd, Chicago, IL; and.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to describe infectious interface keratitis after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) more than 2 years after surgery.
Methods:
A case study.
Results:
In this study, we report a case of fungal infectious interface keratitis occurring 2 years after uncomplicated Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. The donor corneal rim culture at the time of surgery grew a single colony of Candida albicans/dubliniensis , but the patient was not treated with antifungals at that time. At the onset of clinical infection, more than 2 years postoperatively, the patient was treated with systemic antifungals and adjuvant intrastromal amphotericin-B injection. The patient subsequently required penetrating keratoplasty with ultimately well-preserved visual acuity.
Conclusions:
Fungal infectious interface keratitis (IIK) is a rare complication associated with lamellar keratoplasty. Although most common in the early postoperative period, this complication can occur several years after successful transplantation. Management may require a combination of systemic and stromal antifungal therapy. However, some patients may eventually require penetrating keratoplasty for definitive treatment.
