Comparison of corneal biomechanical properties of bullous keratopathy corneas following Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) to their contralateral healthy cornea by ocular response analyzer

Session Details

Session Title: Cornea
Session Date/Time: Friday 09/02/2018 | 08:30-10:00
Paper Time: 08:36
Venue: Annex A

First Author: N.Shilova RUSSIA
Co Author(s): B. Malyugin  I. Bahar  A. Adler  Y. Nahum  E. Livny     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To compare the biomechanical properties of the corneas of patients with unilateral pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (PBK) following Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) in comparison to their normal contralateral eyes.

Setting:

1. Ophthalmology department, Rabin medical center, Petach-tikva, Israel; 2. Ophthalmology department, S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution, Moscow, Russia

Methods:

A comparative study on 20 eyes of 10 patients with unilateral PBK who underwent DMEK. Ocular response analyzer (ORA) was used to measure corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), Goldmann-related intraocular pressure (IOPg) and cornea-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc). The same measurements were performed in their healthy contralateral corneas. All measurements were performed in the period of 3 months to 1year postoperatively.

Results:

Mean postoperative CH and CRF values in the DMEK eyes were 7.6 mmHg ±1.3 and mmHg 8.3±1.8, respectively. Mean postoperative CH and CRF in the contralateral healthy corneas were 7.9 mmHg ±1.6 and 8.1 mmHg ±1.6 respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in regards to CH and CRF (p=0.616 and p=0.846, respectively). Mean postoperative IOPcc and IOPg values in the DMEK group were19.8 mm Hg ± 4.1and 16,4 mmHg ± 4.5, respectively. Mean postoperative IOPcc and IOPg values in the contralateral healthy corneas were 18.1 mmHg ±5.8 and 14.9 mm Hg ± 5.5, respectively. P=0.36 for both comparisons). Central corneal thickness was 522.1±35.6 in the DMEK group and 572.1 ±59.7 in the healthy contralateral corneas (p=0.03).

Conclusions:

Following DMEK surgery for PBK, the operated corneas seems to regain their normal biomechanical properties as measured with the ORA device by comparison to the contralateral healthy corneas. These findings differ from the reduced biomechanical properties found in corneas following DSAEK as was reported in previous studies. These findings support previous studies that shown near complete visual, functional and ultra-structural rehabilitation of the corneas following DMEK.

Financial Disclosure:

None