Specular microscopy of corneal epithelium after epikeratophakia

We studied the characteristics of the corneal epithelium by specular microscopy in 12 eyes of 11 patients, at three, six, and 16 months after epikeratophakia surgery. We found attenuation of cells; irregular shape; decreased density; loss of differentiation into dark and light cells and into small, medium, and large cells; and poor interdigitation between adjacent cells. Corneal hypesthesia noted in these grafts may contribute to the aberrant epithelial characteristics.