Indications for conjunctival transplantation

Long-term follow-up (two to five years) of 12 unilateral chemical burn patients treated by conjunctival transplantation shows permanent stabilization of the ocular surface. The procedure was used in another group of five patients with unilateral recalcitrant epithelial defects. Regardless of the etiology of the epithelial defect, prompt healing of the surface occurs after conjunctival transplantation with no further stromal loss and long-term stabilization of the surface. Such results suggest that epithelial replacement may be a valuable therapeutic approach to a variety of ocular surface disorders.