Posters

Keratopigmentation outcomes: five year follow-up

Poster Details

First Author: J.Alio SPAIN

Co Author(s):    A. Rodriguez   M. El Bahrawy           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Analysis of the five years follow up outcomes of keratopigmentation; both cosmetic theraputic or functional, for the assessment of patient´s subjective cosmetic satisfaction, the improvement of visual disability and the stability of visual acuity, as well as the objective evaluation of pigmentation stability, cosmetic evaluation and the presence of complications.

Setting:

Vissum Instituto Oftalmologico, Alicante, Spain

Methods:

Study of 20 keratopigmentation patients, with an average follow up of 7,15 years (+/- 1.85), 40% Females, the average age was 45,3 years (+/-31,7).In this sample; 16 patients performed cosmetic theraputic keratopigmentation, 81,25% were NPL , these patients had history of trauma, complicated surgery, or advanced ophthalmic disease; as absolute glucoma. The remaining 4 patients performed functional keratopigmentation with an average visual acuity of 0,43 LogMAR (+/-1,09), with history of trauma or congenital anomaly as; ectopic iris. Both preoperative slitlamp and handheld camera photography were done to determine the target tattooing aspect of the diseased eye in comparison to normal eye. Surgery was done either by manual intrastromal dissection in 17 cases or superficial pigmentation in 3 cases, using black and brown medical-grade chemical pigments. Periodic and annual follow ups were done, in which photography and patient interviewing were used as comparetive tools for both objective and subjective varients.

Results:

On early follow ups, 85% of pateints expressed satisfaction with their results. Only 10% experienced mild hypermenia, swelling or discomfort. Complications were recorded in 3 patients, varying from vascularization, mild keratitis up to corneal oedema. Although pigmentation pattern was excellent in 65% of the patients, repigmentation was required in 50% of cases, with an average of 2,7 repeats (+/-2,3) for colour and aspect adjustment; specially at the limbal section. At the five years follow up, all patients expressed significant cosmetic satisfaction, while maintaining an excellent pigmentation stability, with stable visual acuity in functional keratopigmentation patients, except for one patient, who lost one line on LogMAR.

Conclusions:

Keratopigmentation had been proven to be a safe and effective long term method,of both cosmetic theraputic or functional adjustment,of disfiguring corneal opacities or iris deformities in which pigments showed great stability, and patients expressed a high degree of satisfaction with results. This may greatly encourge current further research and clinical trials done, on the use of femtosecond technology, and different iris colour matching pigments in the application of this treatment, giving it higher safety margins and a more realistic natural look. FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE