LENTICULE TRANSPLANTATION COMBINED WITH CORNEAL CROSSLINKING IN KERATOCONUS PATIENTS
Published 2025 - 29th ESCRS Winter Meeting
Reference: PO041 | Type: Free Paper | DOI: 10.82333/t2vn-zq79
Authors: Fetih Furkan Arslan* 1 , Ceren Ece Semiz 2 , Faruk Semiz 2 , Njomza Hima-Musa 2
1Department of Ophthalmology,Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa,Istanbul,Türkiye, 2Department of Refractive Surgery,Eye Hospital,Prishtina,Kosovo
Purpose
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lenticule transplantation in combination with corneal crosslinking (CXL) on keratoconus patients.
Setting
Eye Hospital, Department of Refractive Surgery, Prishtina, Kosovo
Methods
This study included 30 eyes from 15 patients (aged 18-28) diagnosed with keratoconus. By the time they were referred to us, the participants had already undergone bilateral CXL at other clinics. Their central corneal thickness (CCT) ranged from 420 to 450 µm.
The donor lenticules were sourced from patients who had undergone small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for myopic refractive error correction, with refractive errors between -3.00 D and -6.00 D and thicknesses ranging from 60 to 100 µm.
An 8 mm stromal pocket was created in the recipient cornea with a cap thickness of 130 µm and a 3.00-mm incision. Lenticules were transplanted into the pocket according to the high keratometric value.
Patients were followed for a year. Clinical assessments included uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), slit-lamp biomicroscopy, corneal topography, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, and pachymetry.
Results
At the one-year postoperative mark, preoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) improved significantly from 0.86 ± 0.22 logMAR (range: 0.40 to 1.10 logMAR) to 0.47 ± 0.09 logMAR (range: 0.30 to 0.52 logMAR) (P < .001). Additionally, CCT increased from 420 µm to 530 µm (P < .001), and the preoperative Q value improved from -0.80 to -0.48 (P < .001).
Conclusion
This technique is safe, cost-effective, and dependable, resulting in significant enhancements in both visual acuity and corneal thickness.