Femtosecond laser achieves good early results in lamellar keratoplasty

Lamellar keratoplasty (LK) performed with the femtosecond laser showed good early results and the development of few complications, according to Saj Khan, MD.

"Lamellar keratoplasty has increased in popularity. It offers increased safety compared with penetrating keratoplasty," he said. LK is indicated to correct complications of refractive surgery.

Dr. Khan reported on 14 eyes of 13 patients (mean age, 49 years), three of which had undergone previous grafting. He explained that there was an evolution in the technique used: initially a spiral cut pattern was used, but that causes concentric ridges in the scleral bed. The next step was to a raster pattern and then to a double-raster pattern.

Dr. Khan also used a variety of suture methods, but favored interrupted sutures; the striae that developed with the suture resolved, he noted. Dr. Khan is from Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, United Kingdom.

The best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40 or greater in 50% of these patients 6 months after the procedure. The degree of astigmatism increased at 1 month after surgery, but improved with suture removal.

"We achieved some good early outcomes using a double-raster pattern. The recovery time was longer than expected," Dr. Khan concluded. "We must keep in mind that these are the early days of this procedure, but it seems promising for the future."